Go With the Tide II: Seeing is Believing
by Tantz
Summary: After the events until Christmas, Voldemort has to surpass his own self to regain his status and destroy the Order of the Phoenix... Complete! With Epilogue!
1. 1

*enters with Snape… doesn't look at him and he doesn't look at her, either* *stares at you* you never give up do you? I have had SO MANY requests for a sequel…

*grins* well here it is. I can't deny you something for long, can I?

However, I am SHAKING with fear that, like many sequels, it won't be as good as the previous one… so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me if you think I should continue this, because if it's not worth it, I won't do it. I mean it.

Anyhow… Chapter 1, hit play! *Snape rolls his eyes and gets something strong and on the rocks*

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The Christmas holidays had passed in peace, and after the now-famous attack on Hogwarts castle, Voldemort was as withdrawn from everyday events as ever. In all accounts he could even be dead. There was rumour that he had met his demise in the Hogwarts Attack, but had had enough strength to disapparate to die elsewhere.

Fudge couldn't be happier. He was glad that this had happened during his term of office. He was glad he could add in his speech how he had always sanctioned and supported having his aurors ready for everything, thus giving Dumbledore and the Order the luxury of calling them at a short notice.

A politician couldn't have had it better. Fudge rubbed his hands as he sat behind his desk  and perused the daily documents to be signed. He made a face at the one on top.

The final, formal pardon to Sirius Black, as well as the Order of Merlin second class. He was not particularly interested in the man, but he would rather the ex-convict was still imprisoned… he had made him look ridiculous with his miraculous escape from Azkaban. Fudge never forgot and never forgave anyone that had rediculized him in any way. Still, since he was proven to be such a hero, nobody remembered that particular slip-up. They did, however, remember Black's status as a member of the Order. 

Fudge signed the two documents with a flourish, and charmed his verification on the document with his wand. It shone silver for a while and then the glitter was gone from the seal now featuring near his signature. Next on the pile was an even less appealing document.

Severus Snape's Order of Merlin second class. Dumbledore had implied his wish for the odious, dark man to be given a first class decoration instead of the second class one he was about to receive, but that was out of the question. If Fudge did not care about political cost and the friendship he had to upkeep with Dumbledore, he wouldn't have given Snape anything. It made his stomach churn to have to give anything to someone marked with the symbol of Evil. 

Even worse than the mark, Fudge wrinkled his nose as his quill hovered over the document, Snape did not have the slightest respect for the Minister of Magic, and he made every effort possible to show it whenever they met. If it weren't for Dumbledore, Fudge would have administered the Kiss to the slime years ago. 

With his lips curled in disgust, Fudge signed the document and authenticated it with his wand just as he had done with the previous ones. _There will be a time Dumbledore won't be able to cover for you, you snake. I will be waiting. _

The last item on his IN box was an odd looking letter. It was a lavish envelope, iridescent silver in colour. It felt nice to the touch, Fudge noticed, as he picked it up. He smiled. He always liked it when people spent extra in their dealings with him. He basked in the status his position gave him. In fact, Fudge had liked Lucius Malfoy before he was uncovered to be a Death Eater because the man had such class in all his dealings with him. Fudge did not mind letting some things go unnoticed for the man since he never neglected granting Fudge… at least some compensation. It was a pity he was now a convict. 

Of course Fudge didn't lose sleep over that, either. He turned the envelope over, to see if the sender's name was on it. He saw nothing but a stylized celtic design of a serpent, moving and slithering lavishly around and through the knot. Whoever had sent him this, he had paid a lot for this exquisite stationary. Fudge smiled, puffing out his chest in pride as he carefully started peeling the envelope open. He could imagine how his assistants would wonder at the letter, how they would respect the fact that he was the recipient of it. 

With the slightest pull, the envelope popped open with a pleasant rustling sound of paper. Fudge reached inside for the parchment. There was none.

Fudge started screaming. His hand felt as if burning, his flesh boiling. The silver letter stuck on his hand in seconds, fitting snugly around it like a glove. 

Fudge fell from his chair, and started convulsing. 

Percy ran inside, wand in hand, but by the time he had rounded the Minister of Magic's office, the man was dead. A green smoke seemed to envelope the body, rising high up over the ministry.

A skull with a snake coming out of the mouth leered over the building. 

***

The first day back to school from the Christmas holidays was a Friday. Friday mornings were reserved for Double Potions, 5th year Gryffindors and Slytherins. Snape barged in the potions classroom, looking like he would curse any student that so much as sneezed. The atmosphere was odd and skewed. Everyone could feel that the balance had forever been thrown from what it was, at least. Snape could feel it, the Gryffindors could feel it, the Slytherins could feel it. Nobody was entirely fine with it.

Snape did not appreciate feeling unsure of what to expect.

The Gryffindors were not sure what to think of their towering, unsociable professor anymore, and more or less looked at him as if he were a walking time-bomb. 

The Slytherins feared that they would now lose their priviledged position in the class, and those belonging to Death Eater families hated him more than they did muggles. 

Draco Malfoy felt an odd proximity to the man. He felt they were in the same position: They both were Slytherins, they both had sided with the less obvious side, both had fooled their peers regarding their choices. Draco had kept secret that he had gone to Dumbledore a few hours before the Hogwarts Attack, and the Headmaster had not revealed the fact to anyone. In all respects, Draco had a very unappealing sense of lurking danger, should his friends find out that he had helped bring their fathers down, lock them into Azkaban, make them hunted or convicted men.

He felt a morose sympathy for the Potions Master that no longer had the protection of clandestiny.

Without so much as a word, Snape started writing the potion to be brewed on the board. His movements were so rapid and rushed that the sound of the chalk hitting against the board resembled that of firecrackers. Draco wondered if the Potions Master was in a hurry to finish so that his back would be exposed to the class for the least time possible.

On the contrary, Ron Weasley was feeling grand. He still knew he had to watch his step around the Potions Master, but the dark professor no longer represented the epitome of his childhood fears. He was officially on the Light Side, and for Ron that was all that mattered. He and Hermione had also started to get along. He had even taken to studying with her without interrupting her. She smiled at him more than she frowned, lately, and Ron simply could not find any reason not to be in the clouds.

Harry carefully felt for his root and started slicing it, his fingers guiding the blade of his knife, Sasha coiled around his wrist. She was now fully visible, which made him feel better as Hedwig was safe and he did not have to play any more charades. He had enjoyed his vacations, his first ones away from Hogwarts that he actually cherished, for he was with his godfather, loved and appreciated for being just what he was, Harry Potter, the son of James and Lily, and nothing else mattered: Sirius did not care that he was expected to be the saviour of the wizarding world. He did not care that he was blind or that his arm was scarred or that he slept with a highly poisonous coral snake at his feet—well, perhaps he did feel queasy around the snake. In all respects, things were starting to look up.

Harry bit his lip as he added the root slices, and measured the salamander oil using his finger. He poured it in the potion and stirred. If things were looking up, then why was he continually struck with such a sense of foreboding? 

***

Snape supervised his class as they were brewing their potions. He clenched his teeth. Whatever he might have imagined about his life after his true loyalties were revealed, nothing fit his current situation. First of all, Voldemort was still alive. Second, _he_ was alive, too. Snape had not expected to survive the unveiling of his true loyalties, in all actuality. Third, he now had to be twice as alert as he was before, because he now was a traitor Death Eater, head of the house with almost every child of his ex-fellow-Death Eaters. He glared at some of the students in the Slytherin side of the class, returning the murderous glances they were giving him. He could not even sleep without warding his chambers with wards rivalring those cast at the Dursley home to keep Voldemort out.

The thought brought September's events to Snape's mind, and he scowled, still seething in anger for what those low-life muggles had influcted on the young Gryffindor. He watched Harry stirring his potion, eerily being precise with his hands and what he was doing while staring straight ahead with his bright, unfocused green eyes. He could not pity Potter however, not had he any right to do so after all the young teenager had achieved.

His thoughts had started to take a less morbid hue as he thought about the short, private conversation he and the Gryffindor had shared that day when he was still in St. Mungo's. He would even have allowed for a small smile to play at his lips, he would even had thought everything he was putting up with and would put up with worth it, when high-pitched shouts shattered his ruminations and he had to focus on the here and now.

It was Granger that was screaming, calling for his help, while Weasley was trying to pull her away from where Harry had fallen. The blind boy had fallen off his stool, and was convulsing with pain, shrieking horribly. Arms and legs flailed, threatening to tip over the boiling potions in the nearby desks.

"Stand away from Potter!" Snape snapped, as he pulled out his wand and charmed every cauldron around the convulsing form away and in the back of the room. He rushed over, pushing the large desk violently back, giving Harry more room. All the students formed a wide circle around them.

"Weasley, call the headmaster." Snape ordered, and Ron left reluctantly. Hermione's eyes were wide with fear.

"He suddenly tipped over, Professor! Can you help him?"

"That is what I am trying to do here, Granger, if you will just be quiet!" Snape said and managed to put his hand on Harry's forehead. The lightning shaped scar was hot against Snape's palm. He looked to Hermione.

"Top right drawer of my desk, Granger. Bring me the light blue vial you will find there. Now!" he barked his order to her. Hermione rushed to fetch it, and Snape snatched it from her hands and poured it down Harry's throat, while the boy was still struggling and screaming. Harry coughed and sputtered.

The screams stopped. Harry's housemates let out their breaths, but most of the Slytherins just looked on coldly. For the first time, Draco was not one of them. Harry relaxed, going slack, trembling slightly.

"Potter, can you hear me?" Snape shook the boy gently.

"Severus, I think the students have seen enough." Dumbledore's voice from the door offered even more reassurance to everyone. Snape nodded and dismissed the class, and everyone filed out but Ron and Hermione. 

"Potter, talk!" Snape ordered again in the now- empty classroom.

Harry moaned and breathed. His eyes opened idly, his mouth twitched.

"The min-minister is dead…" Harry whispered, almost inaudibly, but somehow both teachers heard him. Hermione put her hand over her mouth in horror, Ron immediately thought about Percy.

"Did you watch? Speak, damn you!" Snape shook Harry more, but Dumbledore restrained him, putting his hand on the Potions Master's shoulder.

"Perhaps we should wait until Poppy has-" Dumbledore started saying, when Harry spoke up again, in a weak, far off voice.

"Voldemort has only started…"

The sagging of Harry's head and his sudden immobility of his body implied his loss of consciousness. Snape picked him up to take to Poppy, gritting his teeth. 

Nothing was more dangerous than a threatened, wounded snake. Especially when the snake in question was the Dark Lord. Snape's frustration was unrivalled.

After all that had transpired, trouble had only just begun.

Bloody hell.

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Well? what do you think? should I go on, or should I take it down and pretend I never wrote this? *is nervous and hides behind Snape who sneers*


	2. 2

*enters holding pina colada, Snape has opted for a tequila sunrise* I never knew he'd get such a kick from muggle cocktails. *chuckles*

Thank you all for your great encouragement! I come to reward you then with the second chapter. Let's see what the new state of affairs will bring, shall we?

*Snape makes a face but says nothing and sits*

Chapter 2 *hits play*

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**THE MINISTER OF MAGIC MURDERED!**

_By special reporter Rita Skeeter_

_The wizarding world is in an uproar over the unexpected and cruel murder of our Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge. The attack was done in a most mysterious way. Until now, nobody reveals what was the way of assassination, nor who the suspect is. However, the utmost secrecy and the sudden elevation in the severity of the wards in the Ministry lead the author of this article to suspect that You-Know-Who is to be held accountable._

_It is therefore logical to assume that not only You-Know-Who is alive, but he is also powerful enough to infiltrate even the basest of the wizarding world's havens, even without a significant amount of his Death Eaters. As is already known, a lot of Death Eaters were caught or killed in the Hogwarts Attack before last Christmas. Several of them are currently in Azkaban. It is said that the experts that put up the wards in Gringotts bank are also now responsible for the security in Azkaban Prison. It became painfully obvious of the dangers involved using Dementors, just as Headmaster Dumbledore of __Hogwarts__School__ had time and again implied._

_It is curious to realise that while many attacks against important members of our community have been averted by the Order of the Phoenix which was assembled at the start of this current year, such a prevention failed in the case of Cornelius Fudge's murder. It is quite alarming to even suspect that perhaps You-Know-Who has devised ways to avoid being detected by our protectors. Could this mean that we are, at least in some cases, defenceless? To this as well as the other details regarding the assassination of the Minister, the author cannot provide answers as the press has not been allowed much information. Which in itself is, perhaps, indication of some facts._

The article in the Daily Prophet was very carefully balanced between Rita Skeeter's usual penchant for finding foul play and marring facts about people and actually upkeeping the bargain with Hermione and not badmouth anyone in the list the girl had provided her with, which included everyone in the Hogwarts staff except Sybil Trelawney.

Hermione bit her lip as she finished reading it aloud to Ron and Harry, who was thoughtfully stroking Sasha's head as he listened. His eyes were sad and serious, the emotions even more vibrant because of the lack of movement.

"If you think about it, that woman is actually doubting the Order! The nerve!" Ron snorted and crossed his arms.

"At least she didn't say it outright. But I will owl her with a warning, just in case. We can't risk bad publicity at times like this." Hermione nodded. Then, silence ensued, and both gryffindors turned to Harry in question, because he did not contribute to their conversation. In fact, Harry had spoken little since he was properly helped to regain composure after the vision he had suffered in the class.

"What's the matter, Harry?" Hermione asked gently. Harry clenched his teeth.

"Everything is the matter. Everything is going wrong when it was supposed to be looking up!"

"I wouldn't call Fudge such a great loss" scoffed Ron.

"But we don't know who will become Minister now! I doubt it is going to be your dad!" Harry exclaimed, clutching the handle of his walking stick nervously. Then he swallowed, and added in a quieter voice: "And I had a vision in class. Don't you realise the significance!?"

Hermione paused for a while before it hit her and nodded. Ron blinked.

"Well!? Don't you!? Why are you both so silent!" Harry spoke up again, in mild distress. Hermione was quick to answer, mentally berating herself as she always did when she forgot that Harry was now blind, and non-verbal communication could not reach him easily.

"I'm sorry Harry. We understand. I didn't think of it before, but you are right."

"About what? I don't understand a thing!" Ron exclaimed.

"Ron, I had a vision in class. In front of –everyone-. Don't you think that will make an impression?"

"It doesn't mean they'll know you get visions."

"It only takes one Slytherin to report it to Voldemort, and I am certain he will make that connection." Harry said gloomily.

"We can't help that, now. In any case, you are safe in Hogwarts." Hermione offered. Harry growled.

"I am not worrying about my safety! If he knows I can see him when he does stuff or plans stuff, he will be alerted. And with Snape not spying anymore, we won't have any way of knowing what he will do!"

Hermione and Ron swallowed and looked at each other again. They couldn't answer Harry, and Harry did not push them to.

He knew that there was nothing they could do. He only hoped that it did not spell disaster.

***

Snape joined Lupin and Black in Dumbledore's office. They were the closest Order members to the Order Leader, something like his immediate advisors. Indeed, they combined everything Dumbledore would hope for in a group: Spontaneity from Sirius, logistics from Severus, as well as a darker slant to interpretation of happenings, deductive reasoning from Remus, and brilliant intelligence from all three. 

They also argued against each other with a menace, thereby allowing Dumbledore to oversee and decide which idea, decision or method under discussion would be the best. Dumbledore considered himself quite lucky.

"The new Minister of Magic will be announced to the press tomorrow morning." Dumbledore said. Snape frowned. There was not too much alarm in the headmaster's voice, but there was certainly no pleasure either. Lupin seemed to have noticed as well, because he cautiously asked:

"It is anyone that is going to endanger us?"

"I am not sure." Dumbledore sighed.

"Why don't you let us know and spare us the suspence, then?" Snape sneered and sat down with a flourish. Dumbledore nodded and the other two wizards did the same.

"The new minister will be Ludo Bagman." Dumbledore said.

"That _loser_!?" Sirius exclaimed in unpleasant surprise.

"Perhaps he will be better than Fudge," Remus tried to be somewhat optimistic. Snape snorted as he brushed imaginary crumbs from his lap.

"That… _person is unable to have the intelligence of avoiding messing with trouble he cannot handle. He can't be better than Fudge."_

"Why not? _You_ messed with the wrong crowd yet here you are being a member of the Order with a Merlin second class!" Sirius quipped sarcastically.

"Please, please. We do not have time for unnecessary dispute." Dumbledore said in his calm yet ordering manner. Snape and Black stopped, but continued glaring at each other.

"Harry had mentioned that Bagman had some trouble with goblins he couldn't take care of. I doubt they would appoint Minister someone with shady characters chasing him." Remus said calmly.

"Oh, he is not in any kind of trouble. He is completely clean."

"The only way goblins end their accounts is either with money or the owner's head." Snape said, not without some satisfaction in his voice.

"Apparently, he gave them money and saved his head," Dumbledore said tiredly. "In any case, this is the new state of affairs. Tomorrow the new Minister will swear in and take up his duties. That means that the Order has to meet him."

"Not all of it." Sirius said, making a face.

"Just everyone in this room." Dumbledore announced with a smile, and sat back to enjoy the show.

***

Blaise Zambini was not a hot-shot Slytherin. Which was just the way her family had taught her. Or rather, her mother, who had the misfortune of being married to a Death Eater of the inner circle. Blaise did not like being home, simply because she had to play act, put up a front to both her parents. To dad, she had to pretend she hated muggles- in truth, she couldn't give a rat's ass about them. To mom, she had to prove every day that she had no bloodthirsty instincts, which included not having urges to kill insects crawling on the table, kick at garden gnomes and glare at anything frustrating. Which was what every perfectly normal, non-murderous teenager would do unheeded, but Blaise's mother had reason to be afraid.

Blaise didn't blame her. She just felt that with all the role-playing, she didn't know who she was anymore. And that irritated her to no end. Especially now that her father was reported missing. Which was not good, but definitely not bad either, as she was being hunted down for Azkaban. She frowned as she played with her breakfast.

Blaise wondered if anything in her life would ever be definite. She almost didn't notice the owl dropping a letter right into her porridge.

***

Harry tapped ahead to go towards the quidditch pitch, where he had arranged to meet his friends after his daily practice with Professor Snape—who seemed oddly angered, even for the potion master's standards. Harry knew better than to out-right ask. He would try Sirius later.

Provided he could locate the man. Sirius never was around to answer questions, lately.

Harry's cane met resistance when it shouldn't have.

"Was that on purpose, Potter?" the snide words and voice were unmistakable.

"No, Draco." Harry said simply. He and Draco did not talk much, but at least they had stopped fighting in any way when they accidentally crossed paths.

"The quidditch pitch is empty." Draco said, not really knowing what else to say. It still was very difficult to talk to the Boy Who Lived.

"Yes, I know." Harry said, standing almost still, listening to the silver haired Slytherin fidget. The sound was miniscule, but there. Harry wondered with a smile, if Draco even realised he was fidgeting.

"I'll get out of your stick's way then." Draco mumbled and started to leave. Then Harry asked, still not moving from his position:

"How are you holding up?"

Draco blinked. Had Harry Potter just asked him how he was doing? Harry smirked a little sadly.

"Are you going to answer or just stand there?" he asked in that soft undertone voice he usually used, and Draco found himself just gaping, yet somehow replying.

"It's ok, somewhat."

"If… stuff goes wrong, go to Dumbledore again." Harry said.

"Why? Did anything happen?" Draco asked quickly, worriedly.

"I… am not sure. Perhaps. Later." Harry said, and seemed too eager to walk away. Draco stood and watched, wondering if this seemingly meaningless chit-chat was actually Potter's way of giving him a heads up.

If that was the case, Draco Malfoy did not mean not to heed it.

***

At 3 am of that night, the castle was seemingly full of sleeping people and prowling ghosts. Yet, some were not following the general norm. 

Snape was tossing and turning, his Dark Mark burning as if a burning iron was being rammed through his forearm. He gritted his teeth, mumbled, swore in several languages including Sanskrit, rolled in his bed, banged his head against the bedpost. No potion could bypass the feeling of the mark. Snape didn't bother. He only hoped it would end soon.

Harry was screaming in his sound-warded prefect room, his eyes jerking left and right, seeing what Voldemort was doing, savouring every single sensation, in a morbid parody of what he was missing mixed with what he hated. The pain erupted in his mind as the victim of Voldemort's malice screamed and screamed and screamed until Harry could hear nothing but her soul still wailing in anguish, begging for death to come.

Draco blinked awake. He frowned. Why was he not asleep? He was certain something woke him up. But what? 

For a while, he stayed curled up under his covers in the room he shared with two other Slytherin 5th years, blinking in the darkness, trying to understand just what the reason was he woke. No bad dreams; hopping white owls qualified as weird on his list, not bad. No alarm; everyone else was sleeping but him…

…no wait. There was that faint sniffling sound coming from the empty, slightly echoing common room. Draco got up carefully and padded over near the fireplace, where he heard the muffled sobs. He blinked in surprise when he realised who it was.

"Blaise!?"

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and that's it! I am just out of a midterm… and to write further would ruin the next chapter. I hope this was not too much too soon. *Snape eases back for a break* Next chapter: Bagman for Minister, letter remains and little slythies!

As for my reviewers:

Ophite68: Thanks! I hope this pleases!

scrantongirl: thanks!

lovechilde: hee hee. when starting, start with a bang, Voldy says.

excessivelyperky: your wish is my command!

Toby Kincaid: wow! Hope this chapter doesn't change your conviction.

Prairie Flower617: Here I am, updating!

StarGazer: ok!

ratgirl: the e-mails telling me to continue were starting to be sooo…. *sighs* compelling. And an idea struck me, anyway.

jaycee: can't calm down! *chuckles* I am still nervous.

Elendil Snape: well, it will be hardball… I can promise you that, Voldy told me in person.

shortySC22: thanks! I'll try to upkeep the quality then.

Kaat Shadowlover: *accepts and shares with Snape* thanks! And I think I like making words, AND showing how Fudge can be a moron. hehe.

Mikee: you're welcome. I hope you are not disappointed.

nightingale: No, I won't take the weasley way out. *he he* And yes, Harry is not rid of his visions more than Snape is of his mark. *wink*  As for the worth it statement, the answer is, both. I like writing it, but I like to see people enjoy it. It gratifies me. J

emma: what's the point of showing the coping without a good plot behind it?

rayvern: *bows*

griff-star2000:you are welcome ;)

catchfire: I'm going, I'm going! *laughs*

athenakitty: what's to pop a clog??

LovinsomeElrond: I hope the second chapter elates you as much as the first. ;)

RaginSilence22: *pretends she wasn't listening to your plans* what was that? *chuckles*

Spectre: you'd be surprised how much respect Voldmort can command via fear… which is why he is launching the campaign described here. As for Draco, I doubt he is altruistic enough to get the Mark for spying purposes.

Yusuf: Arthur would be far too good a turn, wouldn't it?

rhapsodian: you really ARE lucky!

Melissa Jooty: Indeed, I totally agree with you.

JaimynsFire: yes, I think they are! And I haven't written them in yet, really! wooohooo!

Celelorien: I love big reviews! And I am glad you like my Harry. I hope you like this one.


	3. 3

Hi all! *looks around at the void smugly* hehe. No doubt you are all reading the real thing! I am jealous! I am also glad though, because I am not sure of the quality of this chapter. I am not very well versed in Ludo Bagman, and I am kind of going to mould him as I like. 

You might be wondering where Snape is today. I gave him permission to go attend the new book release. The poor dear, he hopes so dearly that more insights into his character will be in it!

So… *takes Snape's tumbler and pours in amaretto on the rocks* Let's start, shall we?

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For once, Severus Snape and Sirius Black agreed with each other. They had the same scowl on their faces, they tightened their fists in the same effort to contain themselves and be civil in the face of the new Minister of Magic. Dumbledore looked forlorn, Lupin looked stoic.

Ludo Bagman beamed as if he had just won the Best Smile Award in Witch Weekly. The elation oozed around him in concentric waves almost to a sickening level.

"I am so glad to meet the most famous members of the Order of the Phoenix! It is almost as great an honour as being offered the post of Minister of Magic! To think that I have proven myself so well to have the whole wizarding community bestow their very lives in my hands!"

The way he said it rang ominously in the ears of those comprising the shield of the wizarding world against Voldemort. Snape could not resist the urge to snort, and Black rolled his eyes. Bagman didn't seem to notice. His flamboyance did not diminish in the least.

"I had hoped to meet Harry Potter once again. We did not have many chances to speak during the Triwizard Tournament, and besides, he must be dramatically changed now, what with his blindness and all. Truly, what _did cause the poor boy to go blind?" Bagman queried, and his eyes flashed in greedy impulse. Sirius gritted his teeth and opened his mouth to reply, but Severus' cool fingers tightened suddenly around the animagus' wrist, giving Snape the time to answer in his place, in that impeccably correct, yet demeaning manner that he saved for officials and other little inferior creatures he had to tolerate._

"Mr. Potter wishes for that information to remain confidential, Minister." the coldness in the potions master's voice spread, and Bagman eyed him equally coldly. 

"Of course." he said and turned his eyes to Dumbledore. He forced his mouth to contort into a smile and asked the Order Leader:

"I assume by your lingering, Headmaster, that you are here for more than just the formality of meeting me and making me pledge my allegiance to the Order. Which I have already done."

"Indeed, Ludo, I am here for information in addition to your allegiance. I need to know exactly the manner in which Cornelius Fudge was killed. I have been told that the Dark Mark was raised above the Ministry."

"Oh well, that is true. After all many people saw the damn thing. We are still looking into it. He was cursed, of course. We are trying to see if he was seeing anyone that was secretly a Death Eater with this mission. How else could it have happened?"

Snape's fingers trembled stiffly, as if he wanted to wrap them around Bagman's neck. It was painfully obvious that the current Minister didn't care jack about how his predecessor was removed from office. Dumbledore seemed to form the same opinion, because he did not press the Minister for more information. Instead he smiled amiably and retired with his three companions.

"Albus, surely it is daft to think a Death Eater would walk in here in broad daylight to murder Fudge. When they make hits, they do it when the victim is at home and with his family, and that is purposeful." Snape said as Dumbledore walked out of the office.

"I do not think Ludo has the correct outlook on things, Severus. You don't have to argue your point."

"Is this why we are going to see Percy?" Remus asked, noticing they were not heading for the exit.

"I think that the eldest Weasley will be far more informative than his employer." Albus' eyes twinkled as they entered in the small office that Percy had. The redheaded young man blinked and stood up. He was still pale and looked shocked. Sirius could practically smell the fear on the lad. Upon seeing who it was, Percy seemed to be in the same time relieved and apprehensive. he straightened up and stood behind his office.

"Headmaster Dumbledore. I thought the Minister had received you right away."

"That he did, Percy, that he did. We are finished with him, as a matter of fact, and I thought we would drop by to say hello." Dumbledore said in a casual manner that contrasted painfully with the formality of the group he was leading. Percy's eyes darted from face to face and he breathed. The past events and the Hogwarts attack, the fact that his father was a member in the Order, his own consideration to join, the harsh shattering of the safety that he thought the ministry provided had shaken some of the attitude and important air out from him.

"You are here for the letter, aren't you?"

"Letter?" Sirius asked. Snape arched an eyebrow.

"The letter that killed Minister Fudge…" Percy trailed away and realised that his current boss had not informed the Order of the exact details. He paled, unsure if it was because he disclosed information that perhaps his boss wanted to keep confidential, or because he realised that perhaps his boss had intended for these crucial details to be confidential.

"Well, speak up!" Snape growled as if Percy was still in his classroom. Remus shook his head at him, and the potions master met the werewolf's glance with a sneer.

"It is alright, Percy. Everything is under control. We need, however, to hear your side of the sad event in all the detail you can gather." Remus said, still eyeing Severus warily.

"It is a command of the Order," Sirius added in an important voice that infuriated Snape to no end. Percy seemed to be impressed, however, and he looked at the Headmaster again. Percy believed in hierarchy and order in the system; that is why he was always so uptight about formalities and what he was supposed to do and say as a ministry employee. But what would he do in this case? He couldn't very well ask Dumbledore to wait so he could go inquire if he should disclose information. And even so, it was a non written law that the Order was above the ministry, especially in times such as these. 

Non-written laws were always stronger.

"What exactly is the letter you mentioned, Percy?" Dumbledore asked gently, waiting him out. Percy breathed in, and decided which authority to follow.

"The one that killed Minister Fudge." he announced, and proceeded to say everything he knew about it.

***

"Potter? Are you here!?"

The urgency in Draco's voice made Harry come out from the corner in the library where he always curled up, reading his books with the Touch spell that Professor McGonagall had taught him to use instead of his eyes. He heard the other boy jump and snort. No doubt Draco would also be scowling at the startling Harry had caused him.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked in his quiet voice.

"Do you know where Dumbledore is? It is an emergency, and I don't know where he is."

"If you mean the password to his office, I don't know of it. Try all the candy you can possibly think of."

"He is not in his office, Potter! Do you think I would have come looking for you so openly if there were other ways!?" Draco's voice hissed. Harry got up and unfolded his cane.

"If he is not here, perhaps he has gone to the Ministry to swear in the new minister. The Order is supposed to be there for things like that."

Draco swore under his breath, but had no misconceptions that what he said wouldn't be heard loud and clear from his once-upon-a-time nemesis. 

"Zambini is in danger. Come with me, she's waiting in Moaning Myrtle's girl bathroom."

Harry smirked. Apparently the Gryffindor trio was not the only one aware of the special secretive qualities of a haunted bathroom. He tapped about, walking easily alongside Draco. He paused for a while, then he asked gently.

"Are you staying in Hogwarts for Easter?"

"Yes. What is it to you?"

"I was wondering what you would do when summer comes."

Draco blinked, and felt slightly ill. He had not looked into the future as far as summer. His mother had owled him once since the Hogwarts attack, demanding that he stay at Hogwarts for Christmas. His father was in prison, and he had no idea if any fellow Death Eater of his father's had seen him and Weasley help each other against the golems. It was obvious that all it took was just one sentence to make himself persona non grata in his own house. 

Summer would be difficult indeed… perhaps even deadly.

"I will manage." Draco sneered, but he wasn't nearly as certain as before. 

"Perhaps you should discuss the management with Professor Snape. He would know what to advise you." Harry said with conviction. Draco looked at the gryffindor's profile.

"He really did help you that much since your blindness?" he said, not thinking to put it in more tactful terms. Harry nodded. Nothing more was said, as they reached the sound of weeping and wailing. Apparently Myrtle was trying to accompany Blaise in lament.

Draco walked in first, and Harry followed. The weeping sound was considerably lowered, but the girl found it impossible to quench. Harry knew just how the feeling was.

"Zambini, I brought help."

"I don't want his help. I don't want your help either!" Blaise snapped, holding her striped tie to her eyes, dabbing them with it.

"Oh, pardon me, princess, for not leaving Crabbe and Goyle, or even worse Nott find you sniffling with the letter open for everyone to see! A mudblood would be more thankful!" Draco snorted, rather disgruntled at the blatant display of unthankfulness. 

The sniffling continued, and Harry walked past Draco towards it, and he gently laid a hand on where he calculated Blaise's shoulder to be. He achieved it the second time, and he felt the slytherin girl tense at his touch.

Blaise almost shrunk away from the gentle touch. Not because it was a boy touching, not at all; Blaise had had enough experience of being touched, and not all of it pleasant. It was just that Harry Potter's touch was just so… different. Wispy, ethereal, so gentle that it was almost not felt, and in the same time encouraging and supporting, as if he knew the pain she was going through and understood it… and moreover, that he knew a way out of it.

"What did the letter say?" he said gently, the voice stroking at her ears in the same way that Draco's irritated them. She wanted to scowl at the Gryffindor and snarl and be abusive, but the tone of the voice, together with the touch disarmed her completely.

"My mother is dead. Voldemort caught her yesterday morning. She knew they would come for her."

Harry frowned. That was the vision he had seen the previous day. The woman screaming and screaming… the pain and the soul that wailed… Blaise's mother. Voldemort's repercussion. Harry flinched and sighed.

"I am sorry," he said, and he felt a hot tear fall on the back of his hand. It made him want to cry too. 

"Voldemort killed her mother because she refused to harbour injured Death Eaters during Christmas, after her husband's death on Hogwart's attack." Draco said in an emotionless voice. He had hoped that his mother would be like Blaise's and show him any sign that he could still trust and confide in her; none had come. However, he preferred it this way than having her tortured to death for a madman's whim.

Blaise gritted her teeth.

"If I wanted to tell him that, Malfoy, I would have!"

"You wouldn't have the stamina not to bawl after the first two words, Zambini. I had to read the letter to understand what you were sniffling all about." he sneered at the girl, and she yelled, lurching at the easy target for venting. Draco backstepped, but Harry caught her before she had time to launch her nails at Draco's face.

"Draco is only trying to help you. He is just being a bit of a jerk about it."

Blaise once more had the feeling that somehow the Boy-Who-Lived had disarmed her. Draco folded his arms and arched a challenging eyebrow, but she no longer saw red around her. She sank back on the toilet cover she was sitting on.

For a long while, nobody spoke. But nobody moved, either. Somehow it was as if the silence was filled with arguments and decisions, as if the most important conversation in Blaise's life was muted. But after an indefinite amount of time passed with her sitting down with Harry's hand on her shoulder and Draco's glance locked with hers, fire erupted in her soul, scorching and cold in the same time.

Blaise knew who she was now. No uncertainty governed her anymore. She got up. Harry backstepped and stood a little bit to her left. She eyed the two boys. She suddenly felt that the mysteries of the world around her were unveiled. She saw through Draco and his odd moodiness the past few months; Harry's quiet demeanour when it came to Potions; most of all, the clear lack of events of hostility between the two eternal antagonists.

She took her decision.

"I have to see Dumbledore. And Snape."

***

Remus, Sirius and Severus were all gathered around an object placed in an especially enchanted glass box to avoid any harm to come to the item. Or rather, items, as within the box were contained the remains of the iridescent, silvery letter that Fudge had so foolishly opened with his bare hands. Where it had torn apart, flecks of blood and flesh still clinged to the malicious envelope. On the little remnant of the back of the envelope, the upper half of the serpent's head followed the movements of the three men with hatred in its papery eye.

"Have you seen anything like it before?" Sirius asked Severus. Snape did not appreciate the suggestive tone.

"I have never been in charge of Voldemort's mail, mutt."

"Oh right, you only did the –really- grizzly stuff, like toilet detergent."

"Sirius, Severus, cut it out!" Remus said. He looked at Snape questioningly until the werewolf's penetrating glance made Snape break the contest of glances that he had entered with Black. He sneered and looked at the envelope again.

"I might be able to see what potion is was baptised in, and, if I am extremely lucky, who made it."

"How would you know who made a potion?"

"A potion of this potency and brilliance that would activate so specifically, and would cause death as well as procure the Dark Mark, can only be the work of a master. Master brewers tend to be vain enough to allow for a signature in their potions. It usually consists of a specific non-reacting, non-magical component in the potion that serves nothing but to identify who its maker is."

"Do you have a signature, Sevvie?" Sirius said in a mock-impressed voice, leaning towards Snape. Snape glared stonily at Sirius.

"Not one that is as obvious as a muggle ingredient."

"What, you add your hair grease or something?" Sirius did not let go. Snape made a face, with an air of superiority he knew Black would not be able to tolerate.

"Honestly, Black, now I understand why you would be made _unspeakable out of anyone else."_

Remus laughed, just as Black flushed in anger. Lupin's laughter always diffused a situation for some reason. Severus snorted and opened the glass box's lid carefully. Retrieving his wand, he charmed two pieces of the envelope into a glass flask and sealed it shut. He stepped back, signalling that the other two Order members could be free to cast spells on the remnants. 

Remus and Sirius casted their charms simultaneously with a small curt nod between them. The Order would try to Scry for the sender and his location. Snape watched them work together for a while. A pang of wistfulness conquered him for a few moments as he watched the two wizards call upon the elements and magic flow to reach their goal. The two Marauders looked lacking without their third member—and more complete without the fourth. Severus swallowed, gripping the glass flask. He turned to go and shut the door gently behind him, so as not to distract the mutt. He used to be so easily distracted in their student days.

He walked alone towards the Potions classroom. He felt again left out, wishing he was part of a group in which he could never fit. In a way, he was thankful that James and Lily weren't there to demonstrate more things that he had forgotten his heart once desired.

"Professor Snape!"

He scowled at the audacious little twit that had the gall to interrupt one of his rare pity trips. It proved to be Draco Malfoy. He checked his speed and did not glare at the boy as much as he would have if it were any other. He still was not certain how to behave to Draco after the Hogwarts attack, and Lucius.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Headmaster needs you in his office. It's about Zambini."

--------------------------------------------

And that is it! next time, action will be taken!

I don't have time today for answers to questions, but for the record, I have to say something: 

I am sorry there seem to be large gaps between paragraphs. My formatting always seems to be warped lately. Perhaps because I have just gotten word and I am doing something wrong. Anyhow, it is not a gimmick to make the chapter appear larger than it really is. The chapters are always 5-6 word pages long. Period. Not shorter, not longer.

As for the answers to reviewers, I feel that I have to answer to specific questions, or share some comments. So, this is not going to stop either… besides, those that there are answers for, probably expect me to answer, not ignore them.

So, see you! *runs off in search of Snape*


	4. 4

*walks in with a sorry excuse for a tan and Snape in –gray- (as JK informed us) trunks* *Snape notices the crowd and charms himself fully dressed* Oy, I am now running a serious risk of being hexed into the year 3000. *scowls*

People, I am on –vacation-! That means I might not update! Sheesh! All those e-mails! Anyway, here is one more instalment, but I warn you, I don't know when the next one will be. *hands Snape a pina colada to appease him, gets one herself* anyhow… let the story continue.

Oh and for the record: I have read OoP, but I will continue in the plotline I have thought of, only taking a slightly parallel trajectory to the actual book where it fits. Okay? No new characters will be introduced, to avoid spoilers and odd characterizations. Some things like Occlumency, I will use nonetheless, but as I see fit. If you don't know what that is, it is probably already in the lexicon or something.This said, let's *hit play*

-----------------------------------------------

Nothing Professor Snape could tell Blaise could ever be possible for the sheer terror that she felt when she portkeyed with Crabbe and Goyle to Voldemort's gathering. She was trembling like a fish out of water, and her two companions were, too. It was a special gathering that they were going to today, they and a few other select initiates into Voldemort's Death Eater group. Blaise rehearsed over and over in her mind everything that Professor Snape had brainwashed her with, all the answers to the possible questions, all the guidelines to possible traps, all the grovelling that would appeal to the red-eyed embodiment of the wizarding world's terror.

Her stomach churned with potions that she had been ordered to ingest, her heart burned with hatred and fear, her mind was taking in the surroundings with more alertness than if she were thrown into a pit full of snakes- which, in all truth, she was. In the semi-lit stone room a circle of black clad figures had formed. Each Death Eater held one initiate in front of them for presentation. Nobody spoke, and the white masks shone eerily cold and unfeeling all around her. _What in Merlin's name have I gotten myself into? I can't do this!_

"My loyal Death Eaterssss…." came the slightly whistling slur, and as if someone turned a switch, Blaise stopped feeling anything. She didn't feel fear, or hatred or cold or apprehension. In fact, she could as well have been under Imperio. Perhaps it was the intricate mind link Professor Snape had established with her, so that she would be able to use his expertise with Occlumency, perhaps it was only her instincts of survival, or just her fear passing the point of being able to be felt. She bent her head just as everyone did, and focused on her shoes. There was a speck of mud on one of her sneakers.

"You have brought to me new members that wish to cleanse the world of tainted blood. Have you tested them for their allegiances?"

The Death Eaters answered all yes in various levels. Voldemort walked lazily around the circle of immobile people, his robes slightly rustling. Nagini coiled herself in the middle, the upper part of her body swaying like a hypnotizing cobra. The Dark Lord stopped at points, looking at the youths shaking in front of him, not daring do anything with him so near. Some, he touched with his bony, long, white fingers; others he did not pay even the slightest amount of attention to.

But he stopped when he came to where Blaise was standing.

"It is Zabini's daughter," Nott, the Death Eater her father had been buddies with, said to introduce her, probably at a questioning glance from Voldemort.

"Ah." said Voldemort, and moved on. Blaise did not kid herself that that was it. When he was finished with his inspection, Voldemort went to stand next to Nagini, that was still swaying in that silent dance. "Bring forth the first one," he purred.

It was a boy with sandy hair that Blaise didn't know and was quite certain she had not seen in Hogwarts. He stood alone where the Death Eater holding him by the shoulders guided him.

"Look into my eyes," Voldemort ordered in a soft, velvety voice, "and tell me, do you want to serve me?"

"Y-yes, my Lord." the lilt suggested that the boy was from Durmstrang, Blaise thought.

"How much? How dearly are you willing to pay for your servitude to me?"

"An-anything, my Lord."

"Anything?" Voldemort smiled like a skull. As the boy was nodding, he said gently "_Crucio_."

Blaise shuddered, believing that the boy's screams would haunt her forever. How would she be able to tolerate this over and over? Not even counting the fact that it would be she that would be doing the screaming quite a bit of the time. _Remember your vengeance. Remember mother._

The boy whimpered, curled on the floor, and Voldemort bent over, two long fingers under the boy's chin so that they would lock gazes again. A small amount of time passed, and Voldemort's eyes seemed to search into the pained ones of the boy. Then he straightened up, pointed his wand at the trembling figure and said _Avada__ Kedavra._

"I hope the next one will be worthy." he said simply, pushing the body to the side. He motioned for Nott to guide Blaise to the spot the other boy had been. _Remember mother. Remember vengeance._

"Look into my eyes," Voldemort said.

_And now forget it all._

***

Snape paced in his quarters, gritting his teeth, holding his left forearm close to his chest, clutching it periodically, as if that would relieve the pain. For once more in his life, he felt useless. He had not been able to dissuade Zabini from doing what he could no longer do. He had been unable to convince Dumbledore to convince the girl; although he had seen the flame of rage in the slytherin's eyes, he had seen that she would go on even without guidance, and that she would not last even through the initiation. 

And now he could feel through the mind link her terror, so reminiscent of his own when he had been in her place. _Why couldn't it all have ended on that day before Christmas? Why didn't I use the Golems to squash him instead of deactivating them immediately? A stab of pain from his Mark stopped Snape's ruminations, and in his rage, the Potions Master smashed the first vial his hands could reach on his forearm. Then he felt Zabini's feeling swell in her mind and cloud her thinking again- he shut his eyes and gently prodded her to let them go, pushing back her subconscious, away from Voldemort's Legilimency. The pain from the small shard in the soft of his flesh and the urgency to protect Zabini's mind consumed Snape. He virtually insulated her mind from her feelings, speaking softly orders. _And now forget it all.__

***

            "Will you serve me, Blaise Zabini?"

            "With my heart, my soul, my body, my Lord." Blaise answered, and put all of her fervent eagerness to pass the test behind her words. The sentiment was evident in the tone of her voice, and the sincerity was blatantly clear in her mind.

            "Will you do as your father did?"

            "Better my Lord." she breathed, taking in her own words, sealing her promise.

            "And what of your mother?"

            "I did not have the chance to kill her myself." she answered the well-practiced line, and added the venom she needed easily- it swelled in her heart abundantly, even if the target was not her mother.

            "Give your life to me now, Blaise Zabini." challenged Voldemort.

            "Gladly, my Lord." she reflexively said and got out her wand, hoping that she would not have to go through with the order. However, the alternative did not bother her all that much in the state that she was at the moment. She gasped as the cold, dead fingers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named clutched her hand, taking her wand from her.

_Now will come your final test. Brace yourself, but not too much._

            She expected to be subjected to an Unforgivable, but instead, Voldemort took her other arm as well- the left one, and he offered it to Nagini, the soft side up. The big snake sank her fangs into Blaise's arm.

            The pain was blinding, and she didn't hear the dark spell chanted by Tom Riddle. Then it seemed to subside only to be replaced with an even greater pain- Blaise felt her arm had been severed- and then it was gone, a small throbbing echo left behind as a memento. She opened her eyes- tears streamed, and she looked at the abhorrent marking that now stood out on her tender flesh. _You are in._

***

            Draco sulked appropriately in the Slytherin common room, as Zabini, Crabbe, Goyle and Parkinson drawled and showed off about their successful initiation to the circle of the Dark Lord. Draco had not thought possible that Crabbe and Goyle could put together such long sentences as 'It was awesome' and 'Look how cool it is!' and the like. Zabini brooded and looked down her nose hautily, refusing to say anything more than 'it was just the way a gathering of a real leader should be'. She did not make eye-contact with Draco, and he sneered.

            "It's so bad that you couldn't come along, Draco," Pansy cooed, but with a considerably less amount of worship in her voice. Draco had lost quite a bit of his prestige when his father was imprisoned.

            "Dumbledore is breathing down my throat, and I wouldn't be surprised if everyone else in the teaching staff is, too. It's too risky to have the mark burned in."

            "But you used to say you would risk everything for the Dark Lord!"

            "And I will. But I am more of use to him unmarked and free, than marked and imprisoned. There is already one Malfoy in Azkaban." Draco drawled. "But I wouldn't expect you to understand about politics, Parkinson. So bask in the glory of the newly initiated and _try not to look too triumphant outdoors; we wouldn't want your prettiness expelled and persecuted, now would we?" Draco grinned, showing all his shiny white teeth like a carnivore before battle. His eyes flashed, and Pansy shrank away to go show off elsewhere. Draco leaned back, watching Blaise. She was the only one he respected for taking the loathed branding on her forearm. He wondered if he would ever have the guts to do anything remotely courageous. Draco sneered to himself. He doubted he was made of a crust as fine as that._

            Then, the Slytherin Head of House walked in the common room, on his way outside. All conversations died down when he entered, and the already cold room became icy. The new Deatheaters, and those that aspired to be, looked at him with death in their eyes. Professor Snape sneered at them and walked out in the majestic billowing of his cloak, the door closing loudly behind him. Parkinson gathered Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise around her with a poisonous, conspiratory smile. She motioned to Draco, but he rolled his eyes and draped himself even more in the armchair he was in. He was not up to another round of Mark showing off topped with badmouthing Snape as traitor, when he was just the same.        

***

            It was daybreak on what Harry felt would be a grand Sunday morning in early February. The birds chirping had woken him up as always. He shifted in the bed and immediately he felt the slithering weight of Sasha, coming up his leg over the coverlets, past his midsection, on the bed and then around his wrist snugly.

            "Good morning, Sasha," Harry smiled as he sensed the cool band settle in her usual place. Sasha had become as close to him as Hedwig, perhaps even more so, because through Sasha Harry could still have some semblance of vision, when he needed it. He stroked the triagonal head, and felt the forked tongue lightly touch his fingertips.

            "Good morning, Harry." the snake replied. Harry didn't want her to call him Master. He sat up in bed and stretched, then got up, felt around and pulled on his jeans and sweater- the right size and quite warm and close fitting. Sirius had bought him a whole wardrobe to suit his needs, both of wizarding and muggle clothes. He smiled, thinking of Sirius and wondered if he would still be trying to clean out the age-old family house that had not been inhabited for almost a decade now.

            Harry had put on his school robes and gotten his cane ready to leave the room to go practice for an hour or two before the students woke up when he heard the faint flutter of an owl's wings. Next came the tapping on his window by the bird's beak. Frowning, Harry directed himself to the window and felt for the latch. As soon as he had opened it, an owl flew in.

            "Hedwig?" he asked, but the owl's hooting was not Hedwig's voice. Harry stretched out his hand and he felt the talons of the bird as it landed there. He stroked the feathers at the owl's breast and allowed his hand to trail down to the legs, where eventually his fingers touched paper. He took it and the owl flew away before he could fish into his robe pockets for a token. Harry got out his wand and pointed it at the parchment, spoke the spell he needed, then pressed his fingers on the surface to read it.

_Meet me at Moaning Myrtle. Please._

            Harry frowned again, as there was no signature. He smelled the paper- the ink was the usual student ink, and he could not sense out anything different.

            "Sasha, was the owl from the school?" he asked in Parseltongue.

            "It wasss brown and cream. Probably." the coral snake replied.

Harry decided to answer the note's summons, but not before he had gotten with him some insurance. Gently he tapped around and got out of his room. He directed himself easily to the other prefect's room: Hermione Granger. He murmured the password and got in. Gently he guided himself towards the bed, and cautiously felt around the pillow area for Hermione. His hand brushed against her shoulder and he shook her gently.

            "'Mione… wake up."

            He smirked when he heard a soft gasp and a shuffle.

            "Harry, I am not dressed!" a slightly shocked and sleepy Hermione said, shrinking away from his touch. 

            "Your point being?" he asked sardonically and chuckled at the embarrassed silence from his friend. He straightened up and back stepped. He was, most of the times, amused when Hermione forgot he was blind. It also strengthened his confidence, because if she forgot that fact, it meant that she was not reminded.

            "Well, what is the matter?" she asked. Harry heard her shuffling about, probably getting dressed.

            "I got this. I thought I should not go alone, just in case." he offered her the note in her general direction. The note was taken from him.

            "It could be a trap. Should we wake up Ron?"

            "Then Seamus and Neville might wake up too. You know how Ron is startled when woken up. I don't think whoever sent this to me wants everyone to know."

            "Fine. Let's go together then. I hope that it won't mean I will miss my revision before breakfast, though." Hermione said bossily. "I'm dressed."

***

When they entered the bathroom, only Blaise was inside. It was not a trap.

            "I meant for you to come alone, not with company." Blaise snapped when she saw Hermione.

            "She can be trusted, Blaise, and I did not know it was you."

Harry heard her take in her breath sharply. Hermione was silent, probably staring at the slytherin girl.

            "I guess you are right. You can't trust an unsigned note." Blaise trailed off and paced.

            "How can we help you?" Hermione asked, eyeing Blaise's bandaged left forearm suspiciously.

            "I don't need your help. Go back to bed." Blaise replied. Hermione huffed, but Harry cut them both off in his calm, serious voice.

            "Hermione is here because I asked her too. Perhaps I think –I- need her help, at least. Tell me, did it go well?"

            "If you call it well." Blaise muttered.

            "What went well?" Hermione asked.

            "Tell her, Blaise. She can keep a secret. She knew about Professor Snape, and earlier about Professor Lupin's lycanthropy when nobody else did." Harry encouraged.

            "I'm a Death Eater." Blaise said bluntly, and as Hermione gasped she smiled grimly and proceeded to say how she entered Voldemort's service in order to spy for Dumbledore now that Snape's cover was blown. She also added what her motive was, on Hermione's prodding. "But I think I will need more help now. I need to learn things that aren't taught to 5th years."

            "What do you mean?" Hermione asked, but Blaise turned to Harry.

            "Harry Potter, you are the best in Defense against the Dark Arts. I saw you in the Triwizard Tournament, and you have faced Voldemort more times than anyone I know and you are still alive. I want you to teach me."

            "Me?" Harry said, taken aback. "Wouldn't Professor Lupin be better? Or Professor Snape, he taught me-"

            "I thought about it. I can't ask Professor Snape for more than he is already doing- he is teaching me Occlumency and keeping a mind link for the while I am still learning. And you have fought Voldemort- I want you to show me how it feels."

            "You can't know how it feels. It is not something that is taught. You can't know how it feels to have your life depended on what you will chant in the next moment, on how lucky you will be or if your aim is right, or if you predicted right. You can't simulate that." Harry said, swallowing down his emotions, fully prepared to turn down Blaise's plea. There were adults around to do this sort of thing.

            "I have just gotten a good idea, Potter." Blaise said dryly, and Harry shivered, feeling suddenly slightly guilty. He was not the only one that had a lot to handle considering Voldemort. He tried another tactic.

            "The Triwizard tournament was – I was sighted then. I am blind now." he said with quiet spite, perhaps because he was pushed to verbalize a fact that still hurt him deep down. Deep down, Harry still ached for having to tap around, use a snake's eyes and cast charms to read and write. He suspected he would always do.

Blaise was silent at that, but oddly enough, Hermione came to her support.

            "She's right, Harry. It doesn't matter that you can't see; you proved that many times, and during Hogwarts Attack, you fought Voldemort with no vision at all! What happened last Christmas will happen again and it will be worse, and we all know it. This time the students will have to fight too, and I want to be prepared too. I will help you; and you will teach me too, and perhaps Ron as well. We need to know, and what's more, Voldemort won't expect it. You are even more qualified to help us now that you are blind, don't you see?"

            "No, I have some trouble seeing," Harry said acidly. "Hermione, I have enough on my plate as it is now! Don't make this even harder!" Harry's voice escalated for the first time since September.

            "At least think about it, Harry Potter." Blaise said. "You can answer me with an owl, but only this early. I'll consider you turned my plea down only if you have not replied by next weekend. But will you please think about it?" 

            Harry was silent, chewing the inside of his cheek. He could not make a decision now, and he could not refuse Blaise- not when she would be running risks as high as Professor Snape did.

            "I'll think about it." he admitted grudgingly.

            The slytherin girl walked past, but paused at the exit to the bathroom.

            "Hogwarts isn't safe anymore, Potter. You are a target; everyone is, really, and I won't be able to warn you all like I did Professor Snape. So think really hard." she said grimly and was gone.

-----------------------------------

That's that! And yes, since this is now AU, it goes parallel to the book somewhat. *watches everyone squirm abour a certain someone that dies in said book* mwa ha ha ha! And what is this warning Blaise gave Snape?? hm… *cackles*

Okay, that's it. I will answer reviews when I finish vacations, okay? See you all! *walks out with Snape to resume tan*


	5. 5

Hey there all. Me and Snape are back: he won't tan, I won't tan, so we figured we should find some shade and get some pina coladas and just chill until September. *snickers* 

He is also prodding me to announce that the original Go with the Tide has been nominated for best snape characterization! *confetti* You can go here to check it out, and if you feel the story should be awarded, then vote for it ;) It's an msn group called Fanfiction.net awards.

That said, let's get on with the story. Chapter 5 *hit play*

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It had almost been a week since that talk Harry had had with Blaise and Hermione, and he still had gotten no decision. When he told Sirius about it, he had clapped him on the shoulder and told him to go ahead, then ran off again to whatever his business was. 

But Harry was not so sure.

_What can I possible offer that Remus can't? He is the bloody DADA prof, let him earn his bloody pay on the never never!_ Sirius had seemed only too eager to have Harry teach outside the classroom, and hinted that every professor involved in the Order agreed. Harry hadn't talked to Remus about Blaise's offer. He felt he wouldn't know how to phrase it.

He tapped his way towards the main hall after his study period, where, contrary to his usual practice, he had not studied for the O-levels, ruminating everything that had transpired. _But if Blaise goes off and dies because she didn't know something I might about Voldemort? That would be worse than Cedric. At least in Cedric's case I didn't know there was a trap. But then again he hesitated making the step forward and accepting, just like it had been such a hard step out of his room and into the rest of the castle when he was first learning how to cope with lack of sight._

_Perhaps that is all it is; fear of the unknown, and then once I get the hang of it, it will pass… but what if I mess with fire and burn someone else?_

Perhaps Snape or Dumbledore would help him more than his topsy-turvy godfather. Harry decided to speak to the first one of the two he'd find available.

"Over here, Harry!" Hermione's voice guided him to the correct place in the bench, and he folded his cane and sat down. It was almost time for dinner, and the buzz of the main hall grew louder and louder.

"Hey, Hermione. Is Ron here yet?"

"I'm right next to you," Ron said, prodding Harry's shoulder, snickering.

"Should have known by the smell of quidditch practice," Harry smirked a little sadly.

"You know you could have been there practicing along with us," Ron said, still not quite happy with Harry's decision not to spend any more time playing quidditch.

"Ron, we have been through that. I played that one game after I got blind to prove a point. Not to put on some show. Besides, Ginny will make a great seeker," Harry breathed patiently.

"But we are playing Slytherin next!"

"Ron! Will you give it a rest already??" Hermione's voice rang with irritation. Harry smirked as the chime announced that dinner was ready, and the professors had just taken their places on the high table.

***

            Blaise Zabini sat between Pansy and Goyle, enduring their chattering about everything- or rather Pansy's chattering and Goyle's sounds. Sitting erect, back straight, face somber and eyes on fire with the anger that fuelled her will to live, she spoke little and ate even less; this would be the moment it would happen. The Slytherin table was almost completely engulfed in the adrenaline of anticipation. Her eyes met Draco's and they sneered to each other- an endearment that had sent gossips about their mutual distaste or their mutual attraction raving.

Truth was, Blaise liked Draco- and trusted him. It had been a whole week and her secret had not been found out, and most importantly, nothing in his demeanour indicated his true colours- just like Professor Snape. Her thoughts ran again towards the reason for her agitation. She hoped to God he had taken her seriously and gotten some sort of precaution. But that also scared her. If the Potions Master was prepared, would they perhaps suspect her to have given the newly-initiated death eaters away?

            "Now is the time, now is the time!" Pansy whispered and whimpered in anticipation, like a child that watched a much-wanted gift dangled in front of her. Blaise nodded.

"Will you stop looking like you expect something to happen? I said I'd do it now, and I will- so try to control yourself!" she snapped at Pansy, and Draco smirked. "Really, Pansy," he drawled, "one would think V- the Dark Lord initiated you just because he needs a jester." Pansy scowled, but said nothing. 

            Blaise realised, however, that she had no more room for procrastination. She had to do it now. She pulled her wand from her bag so that all Slytherins could see, but no professor would. She looked at the high table, where Severus Snape was eating.

Their eyes met. He was expecting her; he was ready. He blinked once, as if giving his consent, then drew his eyes from her and asked a question to Madame Hooch. Blaise swallowed and muttered the spell, which travelled, resembling a small gush of air, towards Snape and engulfed him for a second. Accordingly, Snape frowned, as if in immediate suspicion and looked around. Blaise immediately hid her wand up her sleeve, and Pansy squealed in delight.

            The whole room gasped as Snape suddenly shot up from his seat, knocking the chair back, grasping at his clothes in agony. Indeed, soon enough his flesh bubbled and broke, and blood started trickling through. Madame Pomfrey rushed to his side, Dumbledore sat up and pointed his wand at his potions master, and Snape was rendered unconscious. he was wisked away by Remus and Madame Pomfrey before any student could do more than scream. Blaise almost ignored the kudos she was receiving from her classmates, horrified: The spell had taken full effect! Snape had sat there and allowed her to curse his clothes acidic without any protection whatsoever. She didn't know what to feel. She got up and ran off.

***

            Ron and Hermione had a lot of trouble holding Harry back from running an all-out sprint to the infirmary. Hermione kept replying to the blind boy that it was not good to go there now, when Poppy would need all the space she could get to treat Snape quickly and effectively. Ron tried to stammer his support, then gave up and just did most of the job holding Harry back until the boy relaxed and took deep breaths.

"I wonder who did that to him," Ron said.

"One of the Slytherins, no doubt," Hermione frowned.

"Don't kid yourselves. Blaise did it; she said something about warning him some time ago, didn't she?" Harry said with a grim finality that made both his companions shiver. It was just one more realisation that war was not necessarily fought in battlefields.

"But why would she? He teaches and protects her, they are a team!" Hermione exclaimed, horrified.

"Yes, and they are both Slytherins, Hermione: they play hardball. Blaise needs to prove her loyalties, and Snape is helping her do it."

"I am_ so glad that I am not in Slytherin!" Ron whimpered._

"I need clean air," Harry said abruptly and walked towards the gardens. As he did so, tapping around in an irritated manner, he felt the essence of a ghost.

"Please," he muttered to it. The reply revealed that it was the Bloody Baron. Harry regarded that as a stroke of destiny, for what he had just decided to do. "Find Blaise Zabini alone- tell her I'll be waiting for her outside the greenhouses."

***

            Harry sank down against the steel skeleton of the green houses, and simply let his breath be even and regular. Sasha hissed and caressed his skin at the wrist.

"He knowsss what he iss doing, Harry," Sasha tried to console the boy. She always felt so proud when Harry would use her as his eyes; but usually he would see such unpleasant things. Sasha wished she would once look on something pleasant for him, once.

"He invited trouble! Again! I don't know what he tries to prove," Harry hissed back to Sasha in parseltongue.

"Don't be angry with him," Sasha said, her coils turning, hugging Harry's hand before snugging close around it again.

"I am not angry with him… more than normal," Harry muttered. The persistant swishing of grass made him grunt and call out:

"Ron, Hermione, come here already, your fidgeting will drive me mad!"

            Ron huffed and glared at Hermione.

"I told you he'd hear us!" he told her. Hermione didn't mind. It sufficed that Harry was in a good enough mood to want them around. 

"Why did you follow me?"

"We didn't think you'd want us around," Hermione said cautiously.

"So you weren't afraid I'd pounce on Slytherins at all, did you?" Harry smiled in sardonic irony.

"We were afraid you'd send them to kingdom come," Ron said, and Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs. Harry chuckled, listening to his friends settling down near him.

"No, Sasha and the fact that Snape chose to take that hit kinda removed murder from inside me for now," Harry smirked.

"That is good to know," a new voice answered the comment, throaty with emotion, yet most undoubtedly Blaise's. "What do you want to tell me?"

***

            "Severus… I know you can hear me." Dumbledore said gently to the reclining form of the potions master. Snape was covered in welts and blisters that were fading gradually. The reddish hue on his skin would stay on for some time, however. Dumbledore felt his heart sinking at what war and skewed points of view could do to perfectly fine people.

"Then… why are you trying to verify it?" the tired voice of the ex-death eater wafted in the air.

"Because old men like to state the obvious," Dumbledore said with a warm smile and twinkle. "Did you really take the whole spell without any sort of protection?"

"If I had… I would have woken up in Easter," Snape shifted in bed painfully, "so to cut a long story short, I took a potion protecting my vitals from the dark arts. I didn't know… what I would use," he sighed and shut his eyes again.

"It didn't show," Dumbledore said, straightening the bedsheet absentmindedly.

"Come, Headmaster. I have face worse than an adolescent in combat," Snape sneered.

"I know you have, Severus, I know. But I wonder if you aren't putting yourself in the way of harm more than you have to."

"Nobody knows how much I have to, now do we? It suffices that Zabini is now appreciated in her circle." Snape said and turned over, calling the matter over. Dumbledore sighed, and left without another word.

***

            Blaise watched Harry with a bit of contempt- because he was on a side she felt she belonged, but couldn't openly attest to. She had chosen this, and that she couldn't forget, but that didn't make her feel… slightly jealous. Her path was now more shady than she expected. Harry's was on the sunshine of righteousness, if nothing else.

"You asked me to do something some time ago," Harry said.

"Yes," she said cautiously.

"I agree. Of course we have to figure out where to do these lessons so that your new… friends don't realise," Harry said.

"Leave it up to me, I'll find the place," Hermione said and took off.

"Say Harry… are these lessons open only to Blaise?" Ron asked.

"You can come, Ron, if you want to," Harry said with a sigh, as if giving up.

He had taken the step out of the room again. Now, Harry only hoped that the outcome would be as good as it had been when he had walked out of his room being blind for the first time in his life.

______________________________

That's it. It's shorter than usual, but it is still holidays. So the usual quota will be up when school starts and I get myself indoors more than outdoors. Cheers! Reviews will be answered when the quota is restored to normal. Please be patient? Okies then.


	6. 6

Hello, hello! *Snape rolls his eyes, making all the luggage float after them* We are back from vacation! Although we haven't tanned, we are refreshed and ready to complete the challenge of this little sequel (that somehow is promising not to be so little after all). 

Enjoy it while it lasts, by the way! It is the last fic on Harry Potter that I am going to do. *watches everyone around cheer and Snape breathe more freely* Anyhow, let's get on with it! We still have a long ways to go… *ominous cackle*

Oh, and something else: I've been asked by many about the link to the fanfiction contest that GWTT is nominated in (thanks, by the way, Kemenran!), and it can be found in my profile, if you click on my nickname. It just wouldn't show in a chapter.

Chapter 6 *hits play*

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            Harry was deep into his Transfiguration homework, which was getting harder and harder as the dreaded OWLs were drawing closer by. Harry wasn't overtly worried; he had passed much harder tests than OWLs, or anything the academic system could throw at him. The only actual worry that Harry had was History of Magic: He was absolutely lousy at memorising sequences of events. He sighed, and started swishing his wand at the turtle in front of him. It didn't take more than two tries, and when he felt around, the turtle wasn't there. He frowned, fingering around for the cup that was supposed to be there. 

"Hey, Harry!" Hermione's voice startled the concentrated boy, and he heard a smash near his feet, as his fingers involuntarily pushed against cool china.

"Oh, 'Mione… you just killed my turtle," he said and sighed warily. He heard his friend click her tongue and the low muttering of the Reparo charm. A small china cup was put in his hand.

"There, I just resurrected it. It's a really good cup, by the way- no pattern or tortoise shell on it," she commented.

"Thank you, professor," Harry teased her, setting the cup carefully, remembering exactly where he put it on the desk.

"No really, I enjoy seeing you work and study and progress so nicely!"

"Thank you… but I bet that you are not here to congratulate me, are you?"

"Oh no. I found us a place for lessons!"

"You did?"

"Well, actually I asked Professor Dumbledore, and it was his idea," Hermione said as she slid closer to Harry, lowering her voice.

"Well then?"

"It is a room that kind of floats around in the castle, and presents itself only when you absolutely need to do something. Few know of it, and the Headmaster discovered it quite recently himself. It's called the room of Requirement."

"It sounds relatively safe," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Not only safe- the room will provide everything we will need for you to teach us combat," Hermione said triumphantly.

"Combat?" Harry laughed mirthlessly, "you make it sound so… medieval."

"Anyway, I have told everyone that will be there in the lessons. We will meet at the room, at the evening study period, okay?"

"I was planning to go visit Snape at the evening study period," Harry said sulkily.

"Go visit after lunch! This is important!" Hermione pressed.

"I know how important it is much more than you!" Harry snapped back, and he heard Hermione inhale sharply. He bit his lip, breathing evenly. He knew Hermione had not meant to be presumptuous… but she had been. Harry swallowed, tried to tell her something, anything to cushion the remark, but could find nothing. So instead, he got up, picked up his transfigured cup and walked away, knowing that the silence he heard from where his friend was sitting was not anything nice. _Why couldn't I just tell her I was sorry?_

***

            Remus walked in the infirmary just as Snape was getting ready to leave. The potions master paused, and looked at the werewolf.

"I'll start brewing the wolfsbane tonight, Lupin," he said and gingerly pulled on his shirt. His voice was scathing, accusing; why had the damn pest walked in when his body was exposed to his view, with all the welts and blemishes that still lingered? Snape fleetingly thanked his luck that at least the blisters were gone.

"I am not here for the wolfsbane, Severus," Remus said gently, "but to see how you are doing."

"Just like you did every time I would end up in the infirmary without having asked for trouble?"

Remus sighed.

"I can't believe it still hurts you so much. You know that none of us was proud of what we did at that age. Besides you retaliated."

"I am not proud for losing you your job a couple of years ago; does that make you feel better that I did it?"

Remus' eyes flashed momentarily, and Snape sneered in recognition of the emotions that he had dredged up.

"See? It hardly makes a difference," Snape said and got up carefully. Remus watched the man, slightly thrown off balance. Snape was right- Remus was still mad at the ex-deatheater for ratting on him, thus costing him the best job that he had had in years; but he had that job again, now, and he had worked through those feelings… hadn't he?

"Touché…" Remus said softly as Snape retrieved his wand and called his cloak to him. He didn't bother to answer anything, and he seemed again withdrawn in that steel shell of indifference that he had developed in his youth. Remus breathed.

"I am still angry at _that_ man. But you are not that man anymore."

Snape turned to look at him, an eyebrow arched.

"Just like James wasn't _that_ person, not after … after Lily, and Sirius…"

"Black is always going to be Black, Lupin," Snape smirked as he clasped the cloak and straightened it. Remus sighed and looked with a weak smile at the proud man, straight as a rod and unbeaten. Snape walked past him in his usual manner of swishing garments and threatening countenance. 

Remus blinked after him in surprise. _Did he actually wink at me!?_

***

            Harry heard the soft footsteps as he was going towards the infirmary. He blinked in surprise, remembering that not two days ago, when he had snuck in the infirmary at night (being a prefect definitely had its pros), the man had looked close to falling apart, with all the suffering that his skin displayed. Harry had actually seen- through Sasha. But there he was now hearing the sure, precise, threshold-level footsteps of the man he had planned to visit.

"Professor?"

"Correct, Potter. Is there something you need?" the silky voice resonated, and Harry grinned.

"You were supposed to be in the infirmary!"

"I do beg pardon for disappointing. Aren't you supposed to be having lunch?"

"I already have had it. I was actually coming to see you," Harry said and approached. Sasha hissed from his wrist, and Harry chuckled at what she said. Then he gasped in surprise.

Snape had smirked, too. 

"Do not gape Mr. Potter, it underlines the incapacity for abstract thought," Snape said in dripping sarcasm.

"Professor," Harry stammered.

"We are in the corridor, Potter," Snape chided and about turned to leave. But Harry would not let it slip this time. The suspicion crept back in his mind, and he recalled, crystal clear the first time he suspected: He had never told Snape Sasha's name, and yet the professor knew it beforehand. Actually, it seemed that Snape always reacted to little things and doings that only a parselmouth would react to. Was it ever possible?

            Harry blinked around, and realised that he couldn't hear Snape's footsteps any longer. Actually it seemed that the Potions Master had left the corridor. _How could he have gone past me without me feeling him pass? He couldn't understand it, or explain it; for Harry had learned to detect movement even when he was deep in thought. However, the fact remained that Snape was gone, and Harry had not heard a sound._

            He directed himself to the dungeons, knowing that Snape would go there for the second year Potions, Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs that were scheduled after lunch, which was due to finish in 20 minutes. He almost knocked his forehead against the potion master's classroom, so deep in his hurry that he did not tap ahead in the familiar environment. He pushed it open and entered cautiously, his ears just catching the sound of a flask or bottle popping.

"Whatever manners you had, have clearly evaporated, haven't they, Potter? We actually knock before we barge through someone's area."

"Would you like me to go outside again and knock?"

"I wouldn't risk it if I were you. I might not let you in," Snape's voice had an odd, ironic yet in the same time playful slant. Harry wondered if he wouldn't make an interesting friend back when he was a teenager- or an incredibly annoying one, anyway. He didn't have time to decide, however, because Snape asked all of a sudden:

"You had a vision the day Fudge was killed, I recall."

"Yes…" Harry said cautiously.

"Would you mind telling me what it was you saw _exactly_? It is very important."

Harry shivered, remembering the last time he had been asked to recall things by the grim man, and plodded on. _Just don't forget to ask him afterwards._

"There was green fume all around, and voldemort's eyes flashed once… then I saw a hand being ripped off its flesh, and felt as if under crucio. And cackling. A lot of cackling."

"Is that all?" Snape detected the hesitation in the boy's voice.

"… It was as if he was in my mind… and his hand was squeezing my heart to death."

            Snape was glad that Harry was blind- he couldn't see the sudden pallor of his face.

"Did he speak to you?"

"Sir?"

"You whispered before passing out, that he had only begun. Why?"

Harry swallowed, playing with the cane in his hands.

"I am not sure. He might have talked. I don't remember everything so well. It's a little fuzzy."

"Don't fib to me, Potter, you are not that exercised."

"I don't share the same priviledge as Zabini in being taught Occlumency," Harry smiled sardonically, leaning on his cane.

"Eye-contact is very important for serious Occlumentic influence- and you are blind," Snape said flatly.

"Thank you for reminding me, Professor," Harry mock bowed.

"So what else did you see or hear or feel that you haven't told me yet?"

Harry swallowed and fidgeted.

"He said he would enjoy watching me."

"He has understood the mind link you share?"

"I am not sure. It was more of a thought. I think he was thinking to himself, not addressing me," Harry licked his lips, feeling suddenly small and culpable. Snape paced, worry about what those words could mean ensnaring him.

Harry breathed in, and did the first thing he could think of to get out of the unpleasant conversation.

"When were you planning to tell me that you are a parselmouth?" Harry hissed, and Snape stopped pacing. Harry felt the man's glare on him. His heart skipped beats- he had spoken in parseltongue. Snape measured the young Gryffindor up for the umpteenth time since he had been forced by the hand of fate to get to know him better. The wiry boy had grown a little- not too much, he was still at best medium height- his eyes had developed that decided flare of a fighter that could burn even if they could not focus, and was standing straight, _almost_ fidgeting with anticipation of what the potion master's answer would be. Snape almost smirked. He had had an advantage over Harry ever since he had laid eyes on him: he knew more about the Potter boy than the Potter boy knew about him. It was something he savoured and delighted in. How much was he willing to give up from that advantage, if at all?

"I would never dream of telling you of a thing such as this," Snape answered calmly, "because I simply do not speak the language of the snakes."

"Then how did you understand what I asked?" Harry asked triumphantly.

"Focus, Potter. I said I do not _speak_ it. And now remove yourself from my classroom- I have a lesson to set up for."

Harry walked out in a daze. _Hermione will have a field day._

***

Sirius and Remus looked at the glass box holding the remnants of the murderous letter with unending frustration.

"I don't believe this thing! It's as if it dropped from Mars!"

"I think it's high time we admit defeat, at least for now, and tell Dumbledore that the ward on homing spells is unbreakable by anything we know. That in itself is information," Remus said calmly, looking at the remnant of the snake on the paper envelope, eyeing them with hatred. Sirius kicked a chair.

"Yes, _awesome information, you don't say! We know it's one of the darkest spells for warding ever created- that our good old rotten DUD Lord is –bound- to know! Whoopee, we didn't know that, for sure!"_

"Calm down, Padfoot. We haven't heard what Severus has done yet. Besides, it's not hopeless, we have an indication of how it works."

"Well unless Moldyguts tries to enforce his will through whatever's left of the letter, we won't have much luck homing in to him, will we?"

"I see someone is yapping uselessly again," came the drawling voice of the Potions Master from the door. Sirius rounded on the smirking professor that was watching him with that infuriating air of superiority.

"How about I yap another tune for you!?"

"Sirius! Knock it off." Remus said irritatedly. Snape glided inside the DADA professor's office and sat down.

"I assume you haven't gone further than last time with the wards, have you?"

"Not really. It seems that every time it breaks, it instantly springs up doubly strong."

"I should expect so," smirked Snape.

"Why don't you illuminate us?" Sirius asked in scathing politeness.

Snape steepled his hands and frowned.

"The reason you cannot break the ward that would reveal where the potion was made or the whereabouts of the one controlling its effect, is because the potion brewer managed to incorporate the Fidelius charm in the potion. You can't find anything unless we get the name of the potion brewer otherwise."

A somewhat lengthy pause ensued where both wizards watched Snape.

"… And?" Sirius broke the silence.

"And I am still trying to find the signature. It's not as easy as digging up a bone," Snape sneered.

"So you are in the same square as we are," Sirius said triumphantly.

"At least I know _why_ I am having trouble reaching my goal," Snape said and got up.

***

Harry went to stand in front of the room of Requirement, and concentrated. _I need so much not to be found out. We need a room that will keep our lessons secret._ He waited a while, then walked forward, until his fingers touched a door where wall used to be. He smiled thinly and opened the door, walking inside.

His skin instantly crawled. There were more people in there than two or three.

"Who is here?" he asked, his hand gripping his cane.

"Hi Harry, it's ok, let me tell you who is here," Hermione's rather nervous voice reached his ears, and he heard people trying to breathe calmly.

"There is Blaise here, of course," Hermione started and Blaise said hi only to let Harry hear she was there, "and Ron…"

"And that should have been it! We can't actually advertise, Hermione, what where you thinking??"

"Actually Harry, it's safe- it's only me," Draco's voice said, rather amused.

"And me, Harry, I can keep secrets," Ginny's voice,

"And you can't keep us-"

"- out of any mischief whatsoever," Fred and George's voices.

Harry swallowed. He had not been prepared to teach _class. Then, he heard another quite familiar fidgeting._

"_Neville??_"

"Well, I uh, I overheard Hermione, and- and I would like to be able to fight- those people, the Death Eaters, you know… I have… I have good reason," Neville said timidly, and Harry could not say no. He knew Neville's reasons.

"Will you help us all, Harry?" Hermione asked, as she had obviously been put in charge of negotiations. Harry breathed and exhaled in defeat.

"Well I guess since you are all here, I can't chuck you out, can I? Get your wands out, and tell me when you are ready. We'll start with some simple shielding charms," Harry said, and, hearing the cheering of most of the students, he couldn't help smiling.

__________________________

And that's that! Right on time for September 1st! Aren't you glad? It's the usual quota! I hope it didn't bore you, and it made you guess some things. *Snape snorts*

Again, I got no time to answer reviews… please forgive me. I will answer in an author's note tomorrow.Hhhhehehehehehe


	7. 7

Hello everyone again. *watches Snape walk behind her like a shadow, sitting down where he is not seen*

Don't lament, first off: this story is not yet done, so I am not exactly abandoning anyone. I am only starting to well… reach the end of my Harry Potter days. There are tons of other things that I want to write, and I have explored the Harry Potter characters well enough. That's the best explanation I can give to those asking why I am not going to continue. Second off: I will give you your adrenaline fix before I have put down my last full stop, and I am going to start today. *nasty little grin there*

That said, Chapter 7, *hit play*

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Voldemort steepled his hands as he sat in his chair, inspecting his new group of death eaters. He was not entirely satisfied with what he saw. Most were children of 15, tops 18 years and fit only to become easy prey for rookie Aurors. But Voldemort's hand had been forced more than he had expected. The Dark Lord gritted his teeth. His best death eaters were killed or imprisoned. Most had already been given the dementor's Kiss. That idiot Fudge wasted no more time once he had them behind bars. But Fudge had been dealt with, and he had not lost his leverage in the Ministry. In fact, perhaps the Order did him a favour, after all.

He got up and walked in the circled the death eaters had formed.

"You have been selected to prove yourselves, to prove your loyalty to me and the cause you serve. All traitors to the pure blood of magic must die."

The death eaters hailed his words and fidgeted. Voldemort let them, and smiled that stony, ominous smile. He would regain his power. He only had to pull Dumbledore's teeth one by one.

Some with more priority than others.

"I believe some of you have news for me."

One Death Eater walked forward and kneeled. She removed her mask.

"Pansy Parkinson… ssspeak."

"We attacked Prof- Severus Snape, my Lord, to take revenge," she said with pride.

"You… _attacked Severus Snape?"_

"Yes, my Lord," Pansy stammered, unsure where she had gone wrong.

"_Crucio_!"

            The girl's screams made Blaise's scalp prinkle. She hated Pansy, but she couldn't bear to hear her scream like that. Her fingers twitched, to cast something, anything, to help her. _Remember- stop Voldemort from punishing, and you have sealed your own death. Blaise bit the inside of her cheek, hard, and concentrated on the pain. The curse was let up quickly._

"Foolisshhhh girl! You do not attack, you sssssslaughter! You are not fit to be my servant if your attack fails!" Voldemort hissed in anger as Pansy whimpered, curling up in the fetal position. Blaise stepped forward and bowed, removing her mask as well.

"Ssspeak."

"My Lord, Parkinson was quick to speak. It was I that arranged the attack on Snape, and I aimed to weaken him without Dumbledore suspecting me. At the moment all his attention is on Malfoy, and he has not noticed me. But Snape is weakened now, and he is ready for the taking at your command, my Lord," Blaise said and kneeled on one knee. Trying to control her beating heart, she added, "I would never dream of killing one of my Lord's enemies before my Lord has ordered it, or had satisfaction from the slime that dared cross him."

            Voldemort smiled. The girl indeed had her father's instincts and he could feel the malice and hatred churn inside her sincerely. She was one of those he would call his trusted ones very soon, if she proved herself sufficiently. However, he had also felt the same hatred and loathing in one of his best potion brewers, up until the day that potion brewer cost him his victory. He nodded.

"You think well and speak better, Blaise Zabini…," he almost purred as he approached her, caressing his wand, "which makes me wonder if you were not taught what to ssssay… _Crucio_."

***

            "Don't… don't go…" Blaise kept repeating in her fever. Dumbledore frowned, and looked up as Snape wafted in, holding two goblets of steaming potion.

"One for Zabini, the other for Parkinson. Malfoy will tell her he justified her absence and the circumstances of her return with some cock and bull story," the Potions Master spoke in such a low level that Albus strained to make out every word.

"You know she will be alright. It was just the first time she was subjected to the Cruciatus," he tried to comfort the dark man that watched Poppy Pomfrey administer his draughts.

"She will never be back to exactly as she was before. No person experiencing that curse ever does," Snape hissed, frowning. "For Merlin's sake, can't you make her regain consciousness?"

"You know the answer already, Severus. She has to wake up on her own, from this first shock."

Madame Pomfrey straightened up from the beds and came to the two men watching her.

"Everything that was necessary has been done. I gave Blaise some more sedative, so that it will be certain she will wake up after Pansy, and have a chance to talk to you. But you should both go out now. Breakfast is almost ready to be served."

Snape walked out with no other word, but Dumbledore lingered, listening to Blaise repeat those two words. He felt a chill down his spine. _What is the warning you are giving? Who shouldn't go, and where?_ He walked out as well, and met Remus in the aisle.

"Make sure who goes with you tomorrow at Hogsmeade. The excursion will hold… several interests, I suspect," the Headmaster said and walked onwards to the Main Hall.

***

            Harry walked in the room of Requirement and swallowed.

"Is everyone here?"

He heard shuffling of feet. "Except Blaise."

"We're all here, Harry," Ginny said numbly. Nobody spoke, and the fact that Blaise was absent lingered ominously over everyone.

"We all knew what Zabini was up against. She's not dead, merlin's beard!" Draco's voice said, too anxiously for its usual levels.

"Nobody would expect you to say anything less, Malfoy!"

"Ron, stop it!"

Harry tapped his cane to shush them all, and frowned.

"Draco's right. And Blaise is awake, I think. I heard the Headmaster whispering something to Professor Snape. She might even make the meeting before it's finished. So let's not start bickering again."

"So what is in store for us today, Harry?" Fred's voice asked.

"Yeah, another way to protect and shield?" George said before Harry had a chance to answer. Harry smirked.

"You'll thank me next time you don't have to think to throw up a shield against a death eater's curse, wise ass. But no, today I think we should start some serious combat. I have been thinking about it, and I think that Professor Lupin can teach all of you the best duelling. I have talked it over with him."

Silence. Then Draco huffed.

"So, that's it? You're breaking this up?"

"'Course not. Professor Lupin thought you might be interested in stuff that you use in duels when the only rule is that there are no rules, and he is not allowed to teach," Harry said and grinned like a fox. He heard instant whoops of joy from the Weasley twins, and Hermione for once did not voice any qualms.

"I thought …that was strictly Slytherin territory, Potter?"

            Everyone in the room gasped, and turned to look. Standing there was a pale looking Blaise, holding her wand in her right hand, her eyes haunted and serious- as if anything youthful and joyous had left her, putting irony in its place. Draco walked up to her, looking her closely from top to bottom.

"You okay, Zabini?"

"Just peachy, Malfoy. Parkinson's out looking for someone to pet her."

Draco sneered.

"Too bad for her, then."

"Hey, hey, hey, you discuss all those inter-Slytherin stuff-"

"- in some other room!" Fred and George snickered. Harry smiled as he heard Blaise walk up to him.

"Glad you could make it."

"Me too. So, what's up for lesson today?"

Harry smiled again that feral smile.

"Get your wands out, and then tie your eyes with blindfolds. No peeking."

***

            "I think we should go ahead," Snape said with finality, looking around at the wizards sitting with him in the Headmaster's room.

"Many times the bait is eaten and the prey is lost," Remus interjected.

"Unfortunately, we can't use the usual puppy, what with all his publicity," Snape said scathingly, and Sirius scowled back.

"I say we do it. No hard done considering the bait," he snapped back, staring daggers at the potions master.

"Sirius, Severus, this is not necessary," Dumbledore said calmly. The two wizards sat back in their chairs.

"You realise that nobody can know of this for the while we will do it," Remus said and stared at Snape.

"I know, Lupin."

"Not even Zabini."

"I know."

"Not even Harry."

"I said I KNOW!" Snape growled. Then he lowered his voice and breathed. "Unless the Headmaster has some other equally efficient way of carrying out the plan, I see no way to avoid it. And Zabini has given us a time and place that fit the circumstances we need to create."

They all looked at Dumbledore. The old man's brow was furrowed, his eyes dark.

"Severus, I need to remind you that the chances are you … that the plan won't even launch. The risks are too great, all of them mortal."

"It won't be the first time, Headmaster. Does any of the Order have a better way out?"

Silence. 

Snape got up and sneered. "Then all you Gryffindors grow the spine to be able to suffer damages- or losses."

***

            "So, what are we going to call ourselves?" panted Hermione, while everyone was sitting down in the room of Requirement, catching their breaths. Harry was sprawled on the floor, Sasha stretching her body across his chest to ease the tension of holding on around his wrist all day.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we need a name that won't attract too much attention, so that we can set up meetings more easily. To tell the truth, some other prefects have started wondering what I am doing going up and down the halls at odd hours so that I can speak to each of you alone for anything Harry might have to announce."

"What she means is, she doesn't want Goyle catcalling after her every time she thinks up a reason to roam the Slytherin part of the castle," Draco said and everybody laughed.

"Have you thought of anything?" Ron asked, knowing that Hermione probably had a whole list.

"I was thinking, since we are sided with Dumbledore, why not call ourselves Dumbledore's Army?" she said, fanning herself.

"That is the dumbest name I ever heard," Draco laughed.

"Take it back Malfoy, right now!" Ron bristled.

"Make me, Weasel!" Draco taunted.

"Hey hey hey, knock it off, Draco, because you know that he really –can- make you do it, now," Harry smirked. Ron huffed and patted Hermione's hand gently.

"I don't think it's dumb," he said to her with a silly grin, and Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled, mollified.

"I honestly don't think that 8 people can call themselves an Army, though," Blaise said throughfully.

"How bout 'The Snipers'? Cos we are all stealthy and dark, silent types." George said.

"That is not too stealthy as a secret name though, is it?" Harry smirked.

"I think if it were a name, it should be something that sounds boring enough and school oriented," Harry said thoughtfully.

"I have an idea," Neville said timidly. Draco snorted, but the plump boy had developed enough self-esteem with what he had seen he could do with Harry's instruction, that he plodded on.

"Why don't we just call it the 'Study Group'? I know nobody would jump up and down to join one," he said.

"Granger would," Blaise said and everybody laughed.

"Okay then Study Group, let's study those homing in curses once more before we sleep in History of Magic class, shall we?" Harry said.

***

            History of Magic droned on and on as usual, with all the students sleeping instead of absorbing knowledge. Except some, that had developed a way of communicating through charmed paper. It was Hermione's invention, and whatever one wrote on it, it would show up on every piece of charmed paper anyone else held. It was the way the secret Study Group communicated for emergencies. Blaise took out her piece and swallowed. She knew that all of the members of the Study Group were on the level, and nobody would give her away for what she really was; but she could not afford to warn all of them for what was going to happen, for fear that they would not act surprised or scared enough. If any of her classmates suspected that someone amongst them was a traitor, it would be a matter of time before someone suspected her. Her pen lingered, then she breathed in, and wrote the names of those she wanted her message to appear to. _Harry Potter, Hermione Granger_.

            When the letters were absorbed in the parchment, leaving its surface creamy coloured and clean again, she wrote: _I have to warn you, but don't tell the others in advance or I will be suspected. She waited for the ink to be absorbed, then without her writing, two letters appeared on the surface. _O.k.__

She breathed again and swallowed, then wrote her warning. _There will be an attack tomorrow when we go to Hogsmeade. Voldemort has ordered us to kill Harry. The letters were absorbed in the parchment, leaving the surface clean._

***

            "I still think you shouldn't go, Harry. You are a trouble magnet as you are, and a whole load of things can happen in Hogsmeade!" Hermione huffed, trying to convince her friend.

"Don't try to change my mind, Hermione. I will go. If anything, if I don't go, Blaise will be suspected and Voldemort will torture and kill her. He kills at the slightest hint of betrayal now," Harry said, twirling his cane in his hands. He heard how his friend breathed and huffed. He tried to imagine her expression, but lately Harry had trouble remembering exactly how expressive his friends' faces could be. In fact, a lot of memories from the visual world were slightly faded, refreshed only when he shared Voldemort's eyes.

"I'll tell Sirius, and he will forbid you to go!" Hermione huffed.

"Actually, Sirius tried. I told him I would go anyway, so he'd help me more if I didn't have to worry about using less safe roads getting to Hogsmeade in secret."

"You are incorrigible!"

"That's what they all tell me. Why aren't you with Ron? I bet he will have a better performance in quidditch practice if you are there watching," Harry smirked as he heard Hermione suck in her breath gently.

"Are you blushing?" Harry asked, laughter in his voice.

"You are being silly," Hermione said and got up to go, touching her warm cheeks.

"You _are blushing!" Harry snickered as Hermione walked past him, jabbing him at the shoulder as she went, her face hot now._

"I might be blind, but some things I see better that you!" he called after her, making his voice wavering and shrill, like a typical old woman that predicts things in fairytales. He laughed as he heard the portrait hole bang.

***

            Next day, some fifth years commented on the fact that more than one teacher was accompanying them to the wizard village this time: Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape and Professor Lupin were to escort them all. The fact that the tall potions master was to come along was a great dampening factor to all students, including the Slytherins, that had lost some part of the priviledges they held while Snape was still under cover. Phrases like 'why did the greasy git have to come?' and 'oh man, now I'll never be able to get dung bombs and use them' floated across the student body. Harry's heart beat fast. His hands were around the cane so tightly his knuckles showed. Hermione was doing her best to appear carefree. Harry wished he could look at the expressions of the professors, to see how much they expected anything to really happen and how much they were along just as a precaution. This was, after all, the first Hogsmeade trip after Hogwarts Attack. He swallowed and hissed at Sasha.

"Can you see any professors?"

"I can sssssee your Head of Houssse."

"Let me look," Harry said, and he felt the snake relinquish her mind to him. Vision through a snake's eyes was very similar to human- but it was always as if through a lens that skewed things just a little bit, in ways that Harry couldn't tell but his brain just told him that _something_ didn't appear to be entirely right. He could see McGonagall, with slightly blaring colours (Sasha's vision always accented the colours far too much), walking rigidly alongside the students. Her eyes darted here and there. _So they are expecting something, too_. 

            Harry had not tried to go warn Dumbledore about what Blaise told him; he knew that whatever she found out in Voldemort's circle, she told the Headmaster first. He broke the mind link with Sasha and started tapping along, hearing Ron talking to Hermione nearby. Blaise was not with them, and neither were a few of the other Slytherins. Some had declared themselves sick, others that they had to study, others that they needed to catch up on quidditch practice. But Harry knew that he would meet them all behind some of the white masks that would jump on them any time now.

"Anyone wanting to visit any of the shops, disperse now and be back here in exactly 60 minutes. Anyone that is late will suffer abysmally- there will be NO exceptions," Harry heard Snape's voice declare loudly, and all the students ran all out for the candy and trick shops, not wanting to test his threat. Harry suck in his breath. _He is clearing the ground. _

"That means you too, Potter," Snape barked.

"Yes, Professor," Harry said. Ron called to him and they walked off, but Harry lingered. Ron looked between him and Hermione.

"All right, what's all this now? Why are we walking with the speed of a snail when we only have 60-"

"There's going to be an attack here, Ron, very soon," Hermione said urgently. Ron gasped.

"At-at-tack??" 

"Voldemort is coming for Harry. Run and call the rest of the Study Group. We have to be ready," Hermione ordered. Harry was standing a little away from them, listening hard. He could hear nothing out of the ordinary. Not yet.

"Harry?" he heard Hermione whisper. Hermione always whispered when she saw him in the position he was in, trying to discern even the slightest noise.

"I am waiting," Harry said.

***

            Snape's fingers twitched. He walked casually along with Remus, always keeping the Boy-Who-Lived in sight. The timing had to be impeccable for what he had in mind to work.

"There is still time to change the plan, Severus," Remus said, watching Ron running fast away from where Harry and Hermione were standing. The two students didn't seem interested in engaging in any Hogsmeade activity yet.

"All this whimpering is making me nauseous, Lupin," Snape's upper lip curled slightly. Remus sighed. 

And then all hell broke loose.

***

            Curses started flying from all the side roads and nooks and crannies that one could think of. Everyone that was in the shops screamed, some rushing outside in their panic. And then, black robed figures with white, gleaming masks appeared, running towards anyone wearing a Hogwarts robe. Snape clenched his teeth, watching Harry, Hermione and Ron rush into the attack. _It's like watching junior league play-offs, by Merlin. He rushed in, wand in hand, hoping against all hopes, that no stray curse found him._

            The death eaters felled easily most of the by-standers- some of them casting their first avada kedavras- making way to reach the targets: for whoever got the highest prize, would get Voldemort's praise. Blaise breathed with difficulty behind the mask, and saw to her great dismay that Harry was there, fighting with that lightning quick way of his- as was Hermione, and Ron… and now the Weasley broom and Longbottom that rushed to battle still chewing candy. Some of the death eaters trying to get at them went down. The professors shielded the students that were nearby, but Harry and the Study Group were out of range for McGonagall, and Lupin was already defending and fighting others. She saw most of the death eaters converge on the Boy-Who-Lived.

Professor Snape ran towards them, to be able to cover for them, wand out.

"You, shoot the traitor!" an adult death eater ordered her. Her wand hand trembled. If she shot with something mild, it would sign her death warrant. And she would disobey her mentor. Hadn't Snape told her that if it came to that, to shoot whatever she had at him, and worry not about the concequences? hadn't they gone over it time and again in all the lessons in Occlumency? _If you don't do it, you will fail everything, yourself and Snape and Mother!_

"Shoot the traitor, damn you!" the death eater snarled, trying to get a target towards Harry. Blaise shut her eyes, pointed the wand and yelled the first curse that came to her mind, missing by millimetres on purpose- the curse made a hole in the potion master's cloak. Then the other death eater snarled _Avada__ Kedavra! right at Harry Potter._

***

            Harry heard the curse, and he heard the swishing of the cloak that he knew so well. 

"SNAPE, NO!" he yelled throwing his arms forward as the potion master's body shielded Harry from the greenish light. He heard Remus behind him chanting something, but Harry was too busy screaming as he fell backwards, Snape's body falling over him, limp and heavy and unresponsive.

"Professor, damn you, no! No, no no no no!" Harry struggled, his hands running the entire length of Snape's back right up to his shoulders. Harry managed to sit up, still half pinned under the weight of Snape's body. His fingers found the carotid, searched for a pulse. Nothing. 

"DON'T DO THIS TO ME YOU—YOU—" he screamed again, trying to listen for a faint breath, a heartbeat, anything. He shook the man by the shoulders. He slapped him across the face. He tried to feel for a pulse again.

All in vain.

Severus Snape was dead.

__________________________

*watches everyone around her* *peers around* can anyone see Snape? Helloooo? Snape? *silence* hmmm. Okay, I am ready for you to slaughter me… but I mentioned before that I am not afraid to kill… and I DID promise you an adrenaline rush, didn't I?

Okay, and now, FINALLY, for reviewers:

WolfMoon: Here I am, I updated. I am not sure you liked what you just read, though.

water drifter: here's the next instalment. Are you sure you can take what the next one will be?

Kateri1: *bites lip* oh… then… I'm sorry?

Tim H. Smith: well, I think of 'smirk' as smiling with a little huff, like a heh. So he'd hear that sound. I think the rest of your questions were answered ;)

Barbara Kennedy: I am glad you like this one, and it is touching that you would like to read more of my stuff. Who knows? perhaps you might, just not in HP universe. Is that so horrible?

Phoenixpadfood89: I don't know… where? *chuckles*

Kemenran: I hated Umbridge too. I think she was far too blatant. As for your questions: 1. Who knows what Ludo Bagman is doing, yet.. *cackle* 2. Well after this little incident here, the Ministry might wish to have a say in it. 3. Of course he knows about the group, and he is helping Harry. I just didn't get around to writing any such sequence… yet. 4. Order members know about the army. I don't know how you will take this instalment, though.


	8. 8

*apparates with… Snape* *Snape sneers and gets a Bloody Mary* *seats himself resplendently in the couch*

I can't believe you ALL bought it! Severus and I make one hell of a team, it seems. Hee hee. So you think Severus is down and out because someone shot a puny little AK at him? *Snape rolls his eyes* Such little faith you got there… *cackles*

Okay, that was far too much consolation for y'all. *winks*

Chapter 8 *hits play*

____________________________

            "Harry. Come on. You can't stay in there for ever. Harry!" Hermione's muffled voice was heard outside his door, but Harry didn't answer, nor did he make any move to let her in. He shut his eyes tighter, scalding tears rolling down, hot and silent. _How could I let this happen? The damn bastard should have known better. He breathed in shakily, and stroked Sasha's triagonal head, still curled up in his bed._

It had been two days already since Severus Snape died to save him. _Everyone dies so that I can live. I didn't bloody ask them to!_

            Harry didn't know if he was grieving or raging mad at the Potions Master. How could he be so thoughtless, how could he saddle Harry with his death, after everything they had been through together? Why hadn't he given him a hint? Why, why, why? He sighed and rolled over, turning his back to Sasha. It was not like anyone ever bothered to explain things to him in time.

"Harry, I am not leaving until you open this door, or I curse it down!" Hermione's voice tore through his musings again. Harry smirked mirthlessly. _I'd like to see you try. He wasn't sure he was not angry at his friends, either. Why had he bothered training them, if they had been so lousy so as to cause Snape to come over to protect them like the rest of the students? Why had _he_ bothered to consider himself better than the rest?_

"Harry, you have to eat. I am opening the door now," Hermione called, and still Harry paid no attention. He wanted to disappear. It would be best for everyone, and nobody would have to consider it their obligation to give up their lives for him. Harry found himself smirking again. He had wished the Potions Master dead so many times in his life, he never expected to feel as if he had lost part of himself when Snape actually did pass on. _Perhaps he will become a ghost, and he will bother me that way._ Harry wished it badly that at least he would have that way of communicating with the person that dropped him a lifeline when he thought that all was lost. _Perhaps __Vernon__ should have finished the job that day. Everything would have been so much simpler._

***

            Sirius Black looked at himself in the mirror and frowned in puzzlement. There were tear marks down his cheeks. But Sirius had no tears for anyone. He had shed them all the day James and Lily died, so completely that he had resorted to laughter to hack up his despair and pain. So where had these tears come from now? He turned his gaze from the mirror and walked out of the bathroom.

"If anyone told me I'd cry over your death you greasy git, I'd punch them in the face," Sirius muttered. He sank in a chair in Remus' office, and covered his eyes. He felt guilty, and that bothered him, because it was guilt he could not alleviate. He could not apologise or make up to his black-clad rival anymore- and he had not had the chance to tell him he really did not mean any snide remark he said. _Right when he had discovered the potion maker's signature from the letter sample, too. I didn't even congratulate him on it. He heard the door open and Remus walked in. He looked strained, but in control._

"The git went and died a hero's death. We hadn't considered the possibility that he'd willingly jump in the way of Avada Kedavra. He died _for real! _What am I to do now?" Sirius said softly. Remus sighed.

"You go and pick up where he left off. Harry has not come out of his room yet. He will starve himself to death soon," Remus said tiredly, rubbing his temple.

"I can't blame him. Snape taught and supported him this past year… much more than I did," Sirius shut his eyes again. "I want to take his place in the plan. I will chance it- there are many black dogs around that are not necessarily Sirius Black."

"No, Padfoot!" Remus said so sharply that Sirius jumped in his chair, "the plan is aborted. There will be no more staging of anyone's death. It is too dangerous- and Harry can't suffer any further losses. You are his godfather for god sakes, you go there and make sure the boy gets a grip!" the DADA professor virtually pushed the ex-convict out the door and shut it. Then he breathed deeply, and shut his eyes, putting his forehead against it.

            Soon enough, his fireplace roared and Dumbledore's face showed in the fire.

"Are you alone, Remus?"

Remus turned and nodded.

"Yes, Headmaster."

"Good, because your new pet is up and about," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled sadly.

***

            Everyone in the DADA classroom was numb and silent. It was 5th years Gryffindors and Slytherins, but not a sound was heard. Double Potions had been cancelled- there was no teacher to teach it. Most of the Gryffindors looked sad, some had watery eyes, others looked confused and uncomfortable. On the Slytherin side, the differences were so blatant that one could think each Slytherin student was reacting to a different event: Some students were still weeping- others could barely control their enthusiasm over the death of their Head of House. Blaise's face was blank and pale- Draco looked as if he had been sick many times over- Pansy looked like she had been partying non-stop and Crabbe and Goyle looked hungry.

The door opened, and the atmosphere was even more tense- for Harry Potter had just walked inside. 

            He looked ghastly: His clothes were rumpled up under his black robes, his hair was uncombed (even for Harry's standard), his eyes were dead and vacant- he truly looked blind now, in more ways than just the physical one. He paused a little in the aisle, tilting his head to the side. He looked like someone just dropped him on the earth and he was still dizzy. He too, had no expression on his face, a stony mask put up so that he could face the world. His lips were pressed tightly together, his back was rigid and straight. Draco swallowed and sighed. _He looks and walks just like he did. I wonder what had Snape's loss been._

Then, Pansy let a giggle escape her lips. Harry's response was so fast that most students only saw a blur: his wand was out, aimed, and a gagging curse was fired at her. Harry sneered.

"Any others willing to openly celebrate Severus Snape's passing, make sure _I am out of earshot," he said in an almost metallic voice, then quietly, calmly directed himself to his usual seat near Hermione and Ron. Hermione hugged him tightly, although he did not find the energy to return her hug._

"I'm alright, 'Mione…" he said, and the instant he said it he felt the tears threatening to attack again. He was not alright. But he owed it to Snape not to show it- and he would not give anyone the satisfaction of seeing Harry crushed. Sirius had been right- Snape would sneer and goad him if he saw him thus lamenting. He would therefore do things the way the Potions Master would have liked.

            Then, Remus Lupin entered the classroom, and the upheaval from the Slytherin part settled down. The new death eaters did not want Dumbledore's wrath on themselves. Remus sighed and looked at them all.

"I am glad to see that today everyone is present," he said gently, and Harry fidgeted. Remus continued: "For those that are interested, Professor Snape was buried yesterday in his family's private cemetery on Snape Manor, as he had wished in his testament. There was no ceremony or funerary procession because…" Remus smiled sadly, even a little fondly, "the Potions Master did not want such un-necessary rites. That is the reason there was no such announcement put up in the past two days."

Some students smirked. Blaise smiled thinly. _He didn't want hypocrisy in his last dealings with the world. I can understand. Draco looked down at his hands. _

            Remus did not allow the heaviness to linger.

"He would also not want you to miss a lesson so close to your OWLs, so let's start today's lesson. Turn to page 388."

***

            "All Hogsmeade trips have been cancelled for the remainder of the year. No student will be allowed off grounds without the escort of a professor or his parents. The Ministry will monitor all mail in and out, so keep in mind that all your correspondence will be opened and read through before it reaches you. Professor Dumbledore will cover the needs of Potions class until a new professor is appointed- either by the Headmaster or the Ministry. There will be a wake held for those wishing to honour Professor Snape's memory this Thursday at 8. That will be all," Professor McGonagall finished reading the parchment she had in her hand, then looked around the students in Gryffindor common room, pressed a tartan handkerchief on her mouth and exited rather quickly for her standards.

"Who would believe old Snape would actually kick the bucket? I thought he'd haunt the castle until the end of time," Seamus said sadly after she was gone, and some nodded their heads in unison.

"I didn't believe I might actually miss him. Ten points from Gryffindor!" Lee Jordan mimicked the stern voice somewhat accurately. Many students shivered, then giggled mirthlessly.

"I only hope we don't get saddled with a Lockheart for Potions- the castle will be in ruins before Easter," Fred said, not without some hope in his voice.

Then, Harry came in, and again everyone fell silent.

"You don't have to hold your breaths every time I enter somewhere," Harry snapped, then breathed. He continued, his voice a little softer:

"I hate it that Snape is gone, ok? but you don't have to stop talking about him when I am around- I like hearing about him. Oh, and as a prefect, Professor McGonagall told me that first years up to third years are not allowed out in Hogwarts grounds after 6 o'clock. Sorry, but this time I'll rat on anyone that disobeys," Harry said and walked past them and into his room. He felt his breath coming in short pants- he could not understand how he had managed not to lose it out there. But he was not out there anymore.

The Boy-Who-Lived sank on the floor and cried.

***

            Two whole weeks passed before Hermione worked up the courage to remind anyone of the Study Group. She didn't go to Harry first- she went to Blaise. The Slytherin was sitting alone in the owlery, and Hermione actually found her accidentally, when she went up there to send letters to her parents. She swallowed as she saw the girl sitting at the lowest rafter, looking out through a windowless window, still as a statue and silent.

"Blaise…"

Blaise turned to look at Hermione, her eyes deep and turbulent with sorrow. Hermione swallowed again and turned her gaze to the side.

"I don't think Potter will want to continue, Hermione," Blaise said dryly. Hermione bit her lip.

"He will want to, if he sees a point in it."

"A POINT in it? Face it, it was a BAD idea! We achieved nothing, we got Snape killed!" Blaise hopped down and advanced on Hermione like a predator.

"No, it wasn't us that got him killed!" Hermione protested, "it was that horrible Voldemort that killed him, and if we give up now, we are going to do him a favour! Is this how we will preserve Professor Snape's memory?"

"He is dead, Granger, get that into your thick skull! He is dead and buried, he is GONE. He is not coming back." Blaise tapped Hermione's forehead with her finger. But Hermione had thought these things through herself, and she would not let anyone around her crumble if she could help it. She grabbed Blaise's hand and said sternly:

"He is only GONE if you let him be forgotten. Is the man that tricked Voldemort going to fade as a memory? Or are we going to follow his lead and do what he did so _well_ that Voldemort will think Snape has possessed every single student he taught? What will it be? Are we going to bury his _spirit along with his _body_, because we feel so sad for ourselves? Is that why he died and gave up his life for? For a bunch of quitters?"_

            The last word lingered in the air, and the two girls faced off, their glance bearing deep into the eyes of the other. Then after the longest time, Blaise smiled sadly.

"Did you rehearse that, Granger?"

Hermione huffed and blushed.

"Just the part about burying his spirit," Hermione muttered. Blaise smirked and clapped the Gryffindor prefect by the shoulder.

"You'll have Potter doing cartwheels if you throw this speech at him, Granger. Kudos to you," she said and they both walked out of the owlery.

***

            Harry walked in Remus' room without knocking, all business, his stride quick and his jaw set. Hermione had pushed all the right buttons in him, just like Sirius had. He was both thankful and infuriated to be so manipulated, but at least now he had some way of proving that Snape's sacrifice would not be in vain. He heard a low mew and pffft. _Remus__ got a cat?_

"Remus?" he called out, but the DADA professor was not in the room. He frowned and listened hard. No sound was emitted, but Harry knew that he could not have imagined it. He nudged Sasha's body gently- the sign that he wanted to look through her eyes, and soon enough he had the ability to look around the room.

And there it was. A rather small-sized pitch black cat was sitting on Remus' desk, the tail swishing in irritation, the head held high up. It looked like a pedigree cat, the coat was so shiny. It looked like a miniature panther.

"Where did you come from? Does Mrs. Norris know about you?" Harry told the cat as he approached. He outstretched his hand, but the cat didn't move. He barely touched the soft fur before the cat hissed again and Harry instinctively retracted his hand.

"Okay, okay, so you don't like to have your head scratched," Harry smirked and broke the mind link with Sasha. "I wonder what your name might be?"

"I was tempted to call him Pain in the Butt, but he only answers to Sombre," Remus' voice made Harry turn slightly as the werewolf walked in.

"I didn't know you had a familiar," Harry said. "He's a beautiful cat."

"I am sure he appreciates the comment," Remus smirked, "but he's not mine, really. He's staying with me only for a couple of days or so."

"Who are his owners?"

"You wouldn't know the wizard that has him. How can I help you, Harry?" Remus said and sat down. Harry heard the cat softly drop down from the office. As he spoke he felt the cat's tail against his ankle as Sombre went to occupy the chair nearby.

"I am going to continue with the Study Group, Remus. But I want to teach them real combat. I know you can help me."

"Harry, if the Ministry finds out I am teaching you things that… that are in the grey area between Light and Dark, they will probably want to put me down or something."

"Nobody is going to tell on you- the Study Group is secret as it is. We have to do more than simple combat stuff. Blaise needs it, and we need it too if we are to be counted as part of those that fight, not those that are defended," Harry said, and Remus cringed at the way the last word was stressed. He looked at the black cat with pleading eyes, and bit his lip, but the black cat shook its head, its coal black eyes demanding. Remus sighed.

"Harry, Severus is- was already so very proud of everything you have done. You don't have to do anything more," he said gently.

"It's not a question of obligation, Remus," Harry said viciously, "it's a question of decision. I would feel a lot safer learning it from you than having to research it on my own." The threat was blatant in the voice of the Boy-Who-Lived. Remus sighed.

"Alright. I'll be there at the next meeting. I'll bring Padfoot with me."

Harry smiled. 

"That's more like it."

***

            In the Forbidden Forest, Sombre made his way silently through brambles and shrubbery, looking for the special potions ingredient that he knew was harvested every new moon by the cream of Potion Brewers- especially those that worked for darker purposes. 

            The plant looked like a slimy cactus aberration- a useless plant unless it was used as a fly trap. It was not considered magical, even if it grew close to magic plants, in a magic environment. It was the slime that interested the small black cat. Sombre's ears twitched as he leaped up a tree trunk, then settled on the branch over the plant. _You will come for it eventually. The slime keeps only for a fortnight. If you have been as busy as I used to be under Voldemort's orders, you will need your signature ingredient very soon. _

Sombre's tail swished in anticipation.

_A dead man can wait forever._

______________________________

And that's that! I hope you have all been sufficiently consoled. *Snape smiles to himself and sips the last of the Bloody Mary* Heh. You don't think I'd kill him in the MIDDLE of a story, now would you? *laughs*

As for my reviewers:

Wolfmoon: Good girl/boy! Then this might even come as a disappointment.

Padfoot'sbestkeptsecret: I am honoured *bows*

Kemenran: Eh, dead is such a permanent term, isn't  it? *chuckles* I can't answer all these questions without giving away a LOT of plot. But I assure you that Snape does not want this to be predictable. *nod nod* As for Full Circle… 8sighs* I might not continue it… to be honest. If I don't though, I'll tell you what was going to happen. Okay? Also, I cannot say I like Umbridge or appreciate her as a character- I doubt she's realistic, even for a setting such as Hogwarts. So don't look for her.

kim carol: hehe, lucky you!

Rilaisseth: Have you gotten an explanation yet? *grins*

PhoenixPadfoot89: your wish is my command.

ShortyCS22: I am not half way there yet! I hope last chapter didn't seem like a way to end things quickly.

Ms. Padfoot: Really?? *grins happily* I wanted to see if my readers would ache for Snape like they did for Sirius… and you have to admit that I had Snape work much harder to get him to compete with the puppy, didn't I? *laughs* He's not tasted a Fuzzy Navel, yet. ;)

Maximum Poofy-Queen of AU: *dabs your tears* don't cry… nobody saw a body being buried, right? So don't cry, yet *s*


	9. 9

*enters with Snape, sits in the armchair, Snape goes to fix himself an amaretto with orange, for starters* Hello, hello again! I am glad to see from your reviews that you are happy again regarding Snape's fate. *chuckles, Snape sits down hautily* The Potions Master has a high survival instinct, he wouldn't collaborate with me if I was to kill him off so … _easily_. Mwa hah.

So, without anymore dilly-dally, let's get the show on the run!

Chapter 9, *hit play*

____________________

            The new minister of magic received his mail (the contents only, no envelopes) from his assistant, and leafed through it. Bagman sighed, leaning back in his chair and tempted to put his heels on the desk. He was utterly bored in his new position, even if he basked in the status it gave him. Bagman was always one for adrenaline rushes- the reason he was so addicted to gambling. But he was not allowed to even play a round of ordinary cards, not now that he had a reputation to keep as Minister. He did not like the fact that his liberty had been somewhat restricted, but it was a small price to pay for his life and career: he owed the one that had paid off his debts and placed him in this position of power. _Not power for me only though, as the things have come to be, he thought bemusedly, discarding parchment of no interest to him or leaving other documents on the desk for when he would dredge up the patience to look into the claims or petitions that were made to him._

            Then another letter made him sit up as if the sender himself was present. He swallowed and glanced at the door many times, then drew out his wand and spoke the password. The words of a mundane report of research on the benefits of gnome training for gardening reassembled themselves, and the true message of the letter was revealed. Bagman read his instructions carefully. He bit his lip in distress; he did not want to cause harm to anyone, much less if it involved minors. _Especially now that one of their professors is dead and they are all under shock. Damn. _

But Ludo Bagman had to follow orders, or the Goblins would remember that it was not he that had settled his debts- and Ludo hated violence, even more so when it was directed to him. 

He pulled out a sheet of parchment, wrote down the orders and signed and verified it with a resigned sigh. _After all, it is not my responsibility; I am just a puppet in the game._

***

            Sombre had begun feeling cold, even if his fur protected him from the chill of early Spring and the cold breeze of the night. He had also begun to feel hungry- and the unfortunate lizard he had caught as it skulked past him on the branch he was on had only served to keep body and soul together. If Sombre had a sense of humour, he would have smirked. _It seems my life on this earth has been a never-ending exercise on 'Inviting Death and Live to Tell the Tale'… even if in the form of starvation._ It had been almost 48 hours he had spent on the branch. He wondered if Dumbledore or Lupin were worried at all; they shouldn't be, not too much, because they knew what he had set out to do. But it would please Sombre to know that even so, they would worry after him. 

            The cat stretched on the branch, looked down at the slimy looking fly-trap plant, then around at the rest of the wilderness of that area of the Forbidden Forest, then resettled. He wrapped his tail around his legs and side and wished he would have been a long-haired cat. _But no; I had to be a small-size Burmese. Lupin laughed when I told him what my animagus form was. He was expecting me to be a snake or a vulture or something. "It wouldn't fit his inherent desire to be both ferocious and presentable," was Albus' opinion. Apparently, I also do not have any inherent desire to keep warm._

            Sombre's thoughts were cut off as his feline hearing caught careful tiptoeing. The black cat opened his eyes and watched closely. Now the real part of his mission would begin. He watched the dark-cloaked figure walk closer, always checking, always watching for anything out of the ordinary; but a black cat with black eyes is very hard to discern at night, and so Sombre was not noticed on the branch. _Not that you would suspect who I really am, I gather. As the figure drew nearer, Sombre saw that it was a woman. Almost no women that he knew of were of the potion-making level to be able to make anything worthy of a signature; almost. Sombre bristled. __Damn Black and his blood-line. Always causing trouble. He waited for the woman to harvest her ingredient (the slime from the fly-trap plant). _

Then, he silently dropped down from the tree and followed Bellatrix Lestrange.

***

            Harry walked into the room of Requirement and sighed. He didn't feel too energetic, or too optimistic about what he was doing. He had lost one of the people he could rely on the most; Snape's perseverance in doing what he promised was rivalled only by Dumbledore himself in Harry's book; Remus and Sirius a close second. Would the last two Marauders fill Snape's shoes? It didn't sound as easy a task as it sounded. Harry felt a knot in his throat again.

"Harry? We are all here," he heard Ginny's voice, low and scared. Harry fidgeted and cleared his throat, tapping his way further inside the room until he was in the middle of it.

"I'm sorry… I… I was slightly distracted. Okay. I have to tell you that the only reason I feel we should continue to do this, is because we owe it to Snape. He believed in us enough to give up his life so that we—I-- … I could live on. So we are in his debt, as wizards and individuals," Harry said quietly. He heard Blaise's breath be shaky, he heard Draco holding his, and the Weasley twins were far too quiet. Hermione was sniffling and he could hear Ron stroking her back. He couldn't tell what Ginny was doing.

"We agree with you, Harry. Now I have one more person to avenge," Blaise said in that emotionless voice that she used lately.

"I wouldn't be so syrupy about it, but I agree with the gist of what you say, Potter," Draco tried to keep up some of his old persona.

"We wouldn't _be_ Weasleys if we didn't pay the bad guys back- with interest," George said. Harry smiled.

"I thought then, that we might want to intensify our studying. I feel that we will soon be called to prove Snape wasn't wrong to die for us."

"The Dark Lord was quite triumphant with Snape's death, even if you survived. His spirits and those of the Death Eaters are uplifted. We are supposed to wait another massive summons soon," Blaise said. Hermione asked, barely trying to cover her eagerness.

"What have you got in mind for us to do, Harry?"

"Well, I will continue teaching you what Snape taught me in duels: Speed and readiness and how not to lose it. But I figured that we would need some help in enhancing our creativity in combat." 

The door of the room opened and everyone in the room gasped in alarm, since nobody else was expected- all except Harry. The Study Group saw with surprise the two adults that entered.

"Professor Lupin! Mr. Black!"

Sirius beamed at the group as Lupin smiled gently. Sirius raised up his hands and said in his roguish way:

"Hello class! Welcome to 'How to Combine Ugly Curses Class'!"

The Study Group laughed in relief- they all needed laughter so much after the past three weeks of grieving. Remus smiled placidly and started talking, while waving with his wand, to demonstrate:

"Usually, dark and light wizards stick to their sides, both in allegiances, which is good, as well as spells, which is…not so good."

"You see, they do not understand that it is not the _charm_ that you will use that makes it dark or light- it is _how you will use it. Even Wingardium Leviosa can become Dark if you use it to levitate a man 3000 feet in the air and then let him free-fall from that height," Sirius said, cracking his knuckles._

"However, you can use this fact to your advantage, because if you use both light and so-called dark spells in combination, you will be unpredictable," Remus said and faced Sirius with a smile that belied his older, Marauder self. Harry smiled to himself, feeling a slight sensation of warmth- he was not all alone; not yet. And he wouldn't fail Snape if he had a say in it.

***

            Sombre followed Bellatrix Lestrange as she weaved her way through the Forbidden Forest. He knew she would have to lead him to her lab, where she brewed the potions for the Dark Lord: the slime she had harvested needed to be processed and bottled within one hour from harvesting. _I should have thought of Bella. But then again, she always preferred to leave the boring tasks to me. Snape had almost forgotten over the course of the last 15 years or so that Bellatrix had been just as good a potion brewer as he had. She had studied with him for the longest, even after Hogwarts. For some time, he had believed that they could have had something together. It all became apparent that such a possibility was inexistent when she met Lestrange and his creative, twisted little mind that had a penchant for sadism. She seemed to abandon her interest in the brewing arts and instead specialised in the art of causing pain to the point of madness- a skill he never actually conquered. __I stand corrected, Bella. You have kept your touch at potions. Interesting signature._

            Bellatrix walked to an apparition point. Sombre blinked. If she disapparated, he would fail; he would have to wait another 15 days at least to get another chance. He didn't have the luxury. He lowered on the ground, then sprang up against her with almost a yowl. She fought him off with her wand, then waved it so that Sombre would be suspended opposite her. She peered at the cat that was pffft-ing and growling.

"Well well well, what have we here?" she smiled mirthlessly. Sombre made a show of his pointy teeth and wild expression as much as possible- he knew that Bellatrix's familiars never lasted long, and she was always looking for new unfortunate felines or snakes to toy with. He knew that a feisty black cat would be interesting enough to at least take along. Especially if the cat came from the Forbidden Forest. 

"You seem to have come right on time, my sweet. Every witch needs a good, black cat with her," she cackled, almost, and putting Sombre in a body-bind, she disapparated with him.

***

            Dumbledore was worried. He looked at his DADA professor.

"There has been no word or message? Not even with apparating parchment?"

"None, Headmaster. But Severus warned us he might not send word at all until his mission is done."

"Yes, I know… I know…" Dumbledore paced, his brow furrowed. The discussion was dropped immediately though, as Sirius entered, holding up a crumpled parchment.

"I have really, _really_ bad news," he said, slightly paler than usual.

"Let us have them," Dumbledore said and took the parchment from the the Unspeakable of the Order. He skimmed the text. He looked up sharply, and passed the parchment to Remus.

"Are you certain of this?"

"I'm afraid so. I don't know what that Bagman is thinking," Sirius growled.

"He isn't thinking, Sirius. He is only following orders." 

"Assigning Inquisitors to prowl in Hogwarts- with license to shoot anything but Unforgivables to their judgement!? This is a _school!" Remus said incredulously. Sirius was even grimmer._

"And guess what? The Inquisitors will be camouflaged with glamourie. We are not allowed to know their identity."

"Anyone can pose as one and roam the school freely this way! This is completely irrational, out of bounds! Voldemort will be doing cartwheels!" Remus still couldn't stomach even the idea.

"I think I wholly agree with you, Remus," Dumbledore said, his eyes flashing dangerously, plans and ideas forming in his mind.

 "And I think it's time we paid Minister Bagman a visit," Sirius said viciously.

"No, not yet. We have to find out certain details first," Dumbledore said. The other two wizards blinked.

"You will allow Inquisitors in the school?" Remus asked.

"Most of the students will be safe- and I trust you will be training adequately those that might be targets," Dumbledore said calmly. He smiled dangerously, knitting his hands. "Let's allow Tom to think he is ahead in the chess game… for now."

***

            Bellatrix apparated in a small house near Stonehenge. It was nondescript, and Sombre could bet that the wards around it would make it invisible even to squibs. Bellatrix went to an adjoining room. _No doubt where she brews.__ The smell was telltale. She left the black cat under the body-bind for at least 2 hours: roughly the time needed to bottle and store the slime. __Little harlot._ I guess you enjoy your prioritizing._ Indeed, when she emerged, she came to where she had thrown the furry bundle, and sat nearby. She stroked Sombre's fur and smiled._

"Nice kitty. I can feel you are special. I will own you from now on. I will call you Death."

Sombre would roll his eyes if he could or dared. _Every single black animal you ever owned was named that. Merlin, woman, what happened to originality?_ Bellatrix grabbed Sombre by the scruff firmly, then let up the bodybind. Sombre obliged and struggled, managing to scratch her arm once. Bellatrix shook him until he thought his neck would break. He stopped thrashing, dazed.

"That's better, kitty. I will teach you obedience. I am good at teaching obedience," she chuckled to herself.

***

            Remus was hopping here and there, trying to catch a Cangapixie or two to show his 5th year DADA class, when he saw him. He forgot about the faun-coloured hopping pixies and ran to where Sombre was lying on his side. He looked pretty deceased.

"Damn it, haven't you already BEEN through this routine??" Remus asked the black cat worriedly, gathering him up in his arms. A faint mew indicated that Sombre was alive and somewhat conscious, but too weak to shift back to his normal state. Remus ran all the way to Dumbledore's office. Albus looked up and blinked.

"He's back!" he said and conjured up a man-sized cot for the cat. Remus laid Sombre on it, and Dumbledore spoke the charm that was needed. With a loud groan, Severus Snape appeared in place of the black Burmese, bruised and bloody, with eyes unfocused.

"Severus! Severus!" Remus called to him.

"Stop shouting… in my ear, Lupin," Snape said hoarsely and coughed. 

The Headmaster and the DADA professor looked at each other happily. Albus smiled and pointed his wand, doing Poppy's work. It wasn't anything too hard for the Headmaster, after all: some broken ribs, some heavy bruising, a mild concussion and a vast array of welts and abrasions. The Potions Master sighed deeply, in relief and shut his eyes.

"What happened, Severus?"

"I became Mrs. Lestrange's pet for a day. I had to have sufficient excuse to play dead."

"She is the potion brewer! Now, when Sirius is back we can break the Fidelius and find Voldemort's lair…" Remus felt triumphant. He shook his head with a wry grin. "Bellatrix… we should have thought of her. Sirius should have."

"Black doesn't have enough long term memory for such a capacity, Lupin," Snape said, sitting up gingerly.

"Lie back down, Severus. You need to sleep and replenish your energy. You can't walk out of here as Severus Snape."

Snape arched an eyebrow.

"And why not? There is no need to keep the assumption I am dead anymore. We can pretend that I was being nursed back to health all this time in the utmost secrecy."

"I am afraid that some things have changed while you were away," Remus said cautiously. Dumbledore nodded and told Snape about the Ministry's latest decree.

"I think you can still be a wildcard in the game, Severus. Let's not allow Voldemort to know you are still alive or have him suspect of your… alias."

At Snape's nasty expression, the Headmaster added:

"Don't worry. Things are bound to escalate quickly. And a small black cat is many times not counted as a countable adversary."

It was only the thought that as Sombre, Snape would be able to protect Harry and Blaise and any other student more efficiently that kept Snape from exploding in anger. So late Thursday night, the small Burmese walked out of the Headmaster's office and towards the dungeons, tail high in the air, with such irritated airs that even Mrs. Norris kept her distance.

***

            It was Friday morning way too soon. Harry didn't feel that he was ready to attend a Potions class without Snape teaching it. However, with OWLs just around the corner now, no more lessons could be spared. He swallowed and tapped his way to the dungeons. He was going there far too early for the class, but he had his reasons. _If I have some time alone before everyone is around, perhaps I will keep a better grip._ He entered the classroom and stopped, inhaling deeply. Everything smelled as if the professor was still there, the atmosphere saturated with the smell of potions ingredients, the steam from wolfsbane that would waft from the professor's office still present- _wait a minute._

There still _was_  wolfsbane potion fumes wafting from the office. Someone was brewing the draft – it was at its latest stages, with only a little time left to complete. Harry knew how every step of the brewing smelt; he had spent far too many evenings with Snape in this very classroom, doing exercises and mock-detentions to be mistaken. This was no smell that lingered like smoke does to a room. This was being produced. Now. 

            As he walked quickly towards the office, he did the calculation quickly in his mind- it was a week before the full moon, and Remus would have to take his first dose tonight. Without knocking, he opened the door. Nothing was heard except the low bubbling of the potion in the cauldron.

"Professor?" Harry said, his voice trembling, his heart beating, wild with hope.

No answer. Harry nudged Sasha, and he looked around the room. There was nobody inside- except Sombre, Lupin's small black cat who was preening with care. Harry felt as if his heart broke again, and tears ran down his eyes as he broke the connection with Sasha. The colourful snake caressed his skin with her tongue.

"I'm sssssorry, Harry," she hissed.

Harry leaned against the doorframe from a while, trying to control his crying. The hope had been so unexpected, so welcome- and the disappointment so harsh that he couldn't contain it, the tears hot and bitter, the soundless sob forbidding him to speak. Finally, he made a sound as if he was in pain and hissed back to Sasha quietly, reserved.

"No Sasha. I am a fool. I just… I just hoped against all hope."

Sombre watched, amazed. He had never quite believed that Harry would grieve for him- that his soul would bleed so much over someone that never spoke a kind word, that never hugged or offered consolation. _I never thought it would cost you so, Harry. He was ready to shift, to rectify the situation, but then more students walked in the room followed by Dumbledore, and the chance was lost._

_______________________

and that's that, for now! I hope you enjoyed. *gets her Tia Maria from Snape and sits back* Have you noticed it's going to get hairy… soon? *evil grin*

As for my reviewers:

Shorty C22: You think a cat can't be ferocious? *L* Have you ever owned a cat with an attitude like Snape's? I have… trust me, it suits him to be a cat. Besides, he's allergic to *dogs* *grin*

LoveChilde: yes, after this, it's over. HP-wise, I mean. But don't worry, I am not done yet ;)

Kateri1: yep, only Albus and Remus know. They wanted everyone else to act accordingly to Snape's alleged demise.

Jaimnysfire: *L* actually I was more in the lines of your real life pet ;)

Chantelli: *L* flying monkeys?? cool beans! And here you are, more to read.

Athena Keating-Thomas: I am flattered.

water drifter: I don't know where the end of this story will find him… but we will see!

Maximum Poofy-Pissed Off Queen: I am glad you liked!

Alena: When Harry finds out… it's gonna be… *evil grin* …interesting.

t.a.g.: Harry won't find out yet… and how Snape actually survived the AK is to be revealed.

PhoenixPadfoot89: how he can be animagus, or how is he alive?

Kemenran: You got yourself a deal regarding FC. Dumbledore will cover Snape's classes for now. Voldie won't like it that Snape is alive, I can tell you that. *L* 

Wolfmoon: I don't actually plan on killing, but when I DO kill, it's because it's inevitable. I have had instances where every single c dies in a story- and others where everybody makes it. You really want Snape to die for real, then? Who do you think will get the axe, so far, assuming someone does? because I have NO clue if any c will place him/herself in a position I can't save him no matter what I do. ;)


	10. 10

Hello everyone again! *sits down, reclines in the chair* *Snape walks in with a foul expression, sits rigidly* He won't get a drink now, because someone accused him of being alcoholic, poor man. Heh.

So you think trouble is already upon us, eh? *Snape snorts* mwe hee hee hee….

let us see. Chapter 10, *hit play*

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Harry turned over in his sleep, in the early hours of Monday morning. It seemed that he could not find any rest, because he kept tossing and turning. Finally, his body settled down, immobile, as always when a dream is about to begin…

            _He was blind, walking in a place he knew was full of colour and visual splendour, but he couldn't see. He didn't have his wand or his walking stick. Sasha slithered away from him. "Sasha, without you I can't see!" he called after the snake, but she didn't return. Harry had no means of seeing the wonderful marvels that surrounded him. Harry had never felt more desperate for vision in his life- he had to see what was around him. _

_"What would you give to have your vision back?"_

_The voice was a whisper, barely of threshold level. Harry answered, his heart beating faster and faster:_

_"Anything.__ I would do anything!"_

_"That is what I wanted to hear," the voice said, and laughter surrounded Harry who suddenly felt as if he had lost something precious._

            Harry sat up in bed, panting. He touched his forehead; cold sweat had dampened the tufts of hair there. He blinked many times, as if to make certain that it had been a dream, that nothing had changed. He heard silence around him, and saw darkness. 

"_Accio_ wand!" Harry called, and when the sleep wood came to his hand he muttered "_Lumos__!"_

The spell must have worked, yet Harry saw nothing, the pitch blackness still engulfing him as snugly as ever. Harry let the wand drop in his lap and covered his face, half disappointed and half relieved that the dream was not true, that he had not stricken some sort of bargain for which he didn't know the price, but gave him something back that he otherwise would never get. He couldn't get himself to breathe normally, his blood pumping in his veins, his heart thumping with adrenaline as if he had just come out of a battle.

            Finally, he felt Sasha slithering towards him, and he put out his hand for her. She wrapped herself around his wrist and set her head in his palm.

"Why are you sssso dissstresssed?" she hissed.

"I dreamt that you abandoned me," Harry replied.

"Ridiculousss…" Sasha said indignantly, and Harry had to chuckle. He stroked Sasha, and she rubbed her head against his fingers. Sasha always reminded Harry of the stern professor that had given her to him. He swallowed.

"I miss him, Sasha," Harry said softly, sitting back against his pillows.

"Why?" the snake asked, still enjoying her master's caress.

"When he was around I… I didn't feel so blind. Now he's gone… I feel I am weakened."

"Nonsssenssse… you are ssstronger than when I met you," Sasha said. Harry smiled thinly.

"Do you really think so, Sasha?"

"Of courssse, Harry," Sasha said unruffled, not realising how much Harry was uplifted by what she had said. Harry got up and dressed, then pocketed his wand and took his walking stick. It was yet too early for breakfast, but he could go at the library to study for the OWLs. He tapped his way down the stairs from his prefect room and then out the portrait hole. 

It didn't take him long to realise that something was terribly wrong. He could hear footsteps- adult footsteps when at this time there should be none. He could hear murmuring that sounded aggressive and somewhere there was Dumbledore's voice countering the muttering. He stopped and strained to hear. _You don't have to… …in a few hours we will… … this is not a reformatory institution!_ Harry gritted his teeth, and instead of going to the library, he walked towards the guest quarters in the east wing, meaning to go interrogate Sirius.

At least, that was Harry's intention.

"Stop there, state your purpose and identification in the name of the Ministry's Inquisitors!" a harsh, buoyant voice made Harry freeze, and turn slightly to the right to face its source.

"The Ministry's what?" he asked.

Instead of answering, came a mutter, and Harry didn't waste any time. His wand was out in less than a second.

"_Protego__!" he shouted, and felt the tremble of the shield protecting him from a hit. He clenched his teeth and was halfway through chanting a nasty hex that would give his attacker an elephant's trunk, when Dumbledore's voice prevailed and stopped the skirmish from becoming a duel._

"Stop! May I ask, Inquisitor, why you are attacking a student?"

"He failed to convince him of his good will."

"I only asked who he was!" Harry protested, already angry.

"Fine, this seems like a misunderstanding on both parties. Let me then introduce you to each other. Inquisitor, this is Harry Potter, 5th year student in Gryffindor, and fervent opponent of anything Dark. Harry, this is one of the Ministry's Inquisitors. They will be patrolling the school grounds to protect against dark wizards."

"In _Hogwarts!?_"

"Dark wizards are everywhere, young man," the Inquisitor said pompously.

"You mean besides yourselves!?"

"You lost your Potions Master to a  Dark wizard attack, and you dare question me!" the Inquisitor would surely have resumed battle if Dumbledore wasn't present.

"Don't you even _think_ of using Severus Snape as your excuse of being here, or I don't care who you are and who you work for--"

"That is enough, Harry, thank you," Dumbledore said, and Harry had the idea that Dumbledore was extremely happy with his outburst. "Where you looking for someone in particular?"

Harry clenched his teeth.

"No, Headmaster," he said and tapped past the Headmaster and the man. As he was passing by the Inquisitor, Harry whispered audibly:

"I was only up to no good."

***

            Sirius entered Remus' DADA office, all anger, having seen the whole scene with Harry and the Inquisitor from the aisle- however Dumbledore had warned him with his glance not to intervene.

"I am telling you, Moony, we are not going to get along well with—" he paused, his eyes staring at a small black cat. He paled, then his eyes travelled to the cup of wolfsbane that Remus was about to consume. Remus looked surprised- not pleasantly. Another moment passed that Sirius was looking between the cat and the cup, then the ex-convict became angry.

Very angry.

            He slammed the door shut and grabbed Sombre by the tail as the cat was trying to leap past.

"You miserable GIT!"

"Sirius no!" Lupin stood up, but Sirius had already grabbed Sombre and was about to start doing something close to Bellatrix's number. A pop was heard, and suddenly Sirius was on the floor, holding Severus Snape by the leg.

"Release me, Black, or I will –"

"You son of a bitch, do you have any _idea_ what everyone has been through thinking you were dead? What _Harry has been through? Is still going through? Is this your idea of a joke, because I will kick the fun out of it!" Sirius was practically screaming, and Remus quickly cast a sound-proof charm to prevent anyone from overhearing. Snape tried to speak, but Sirius didn't give him a chance, continuing with his tirade:_

"Do you know that only half an hour ago he honoured your name and was ready to fight over your memory you stupid son of a bitch!? How did you have the gall, the nerve to do this to him?"

            Snape whipped his wand in an arc and Sirius found himself sitting in a chair, in a bodybind. Snape picked himself up slowly.

"As I recall, Black, we had all agreed that Harry would believe me dead, in order for his reactions to be real, and the ploy be believed. So drop the valiant godfather act with me; what is really angering you? That I kept _you in the dark as well?"_

"Severus, please release him. Sirius, calm down, I beg you. We can't afford to be heard."

Almost a full minute passed before Sirius' breathing came less violently, and Snape let up the bodybind. Sirius gritted his teeth. Snape sat down near the desk. He looked as if recuperating from a disease.

"For your information, Black, I tried to reveal the truth to Potter yesterday, but I was prevented from doing so."

"What prevented you from doing it later? From telling me?"

"You? Why should I tell you anything, Black? As a matter of fact, I was under the impression that you were blissful with me gone from the world," Snape said scathingly, quoting words that Sirius had spoken in anger years ago, when he had led him to the Shrieking Shack. Sirius scowled.

"That was a long time ago, Snape, geez. Get a life."

"How charming of you to urge me to do so, Black, but apparently I am needed to do everyone's dirtywork," Snape said and scowled as well.

Silence reigned in the room for a long time.

"Drink your wolfsbane, Lupin, before it cools," Snape said tiredly.

"I am glad that you are not dead," Sirius said quickly. Snape arched an eyebrow and looked at him. Sirius almost flushed. "I mean, for Harry. He needs you so much."

"I don't want you telling him anything about me, Black."

"You will leave him to think you dead? Do you know that he and his group are training to become fighting machines because they want to avenge you?"

"If I knew my death would be such an academic motive, I would have done it years ago," Snape drawled, watching Remus take his potion with the nose closed.

"This is serious, you git!"

"I am fully aware of who you are," Snape said, and Sirius blinked. It was not like Snape to sidestep questions or attacks with jokes of the kind. Snape got up from his chair.

"I will tell Potter who Sombre is myself, when I am given the chance. I want neither of you telling him anything before that. Not with the Inquisitors roaming. Remember Black- you are Unspeakable, and this is one of the Order's classified information. Understand?"

"Get out of here before I kick your feline ass out the window," Sirius almost growled in assent. Snape shifted into Sombre and walked out of the room, tail high.

***

"Does anyone have any idea who all these faceless people are? They look like Dementors in a fair," Blaise asked her classmates in the Slytherin table, as they were settling down for breakfast.

"You mean you haven't heard? But of course, how could you, when you are studying for the OWLs all the time. I wonder where you find it in you to study almost like that mudblood that hangs around Potter," Pansy chattered.

"Wouldn't it be more economical to call her by her name, Parkinson?" Draco smirked as he elegantly unfolded his napkin.

"They are Inquisitors from the Ministry. They are here to patrol the school," another Slytherin said.

"Whatever for?" Draco asked.

"Seems our success with Snape made Dumbledore shit his pants," Pansy snickered. Blaise rolled her eyes.

"Really, Pansy, sometimes I don't know if you _try_ to be this irritating. Dumbledore wouldn't be afraid unless he saw our Dark Lord himself, and only then," Blaise said with arrogance, as befit her Death Eater status. Pansy shrugged and grinned.

"They already tried to blast Potter off his shoes. Dumbledore saved him, you know," she said with gusto.

"No, really? They are on our side, then?" Blaise asked, carefully painting the eagerness on her face.

"It seems so! They cover their faces with glamourie- some say they might even be some of the Death Eaters that got away in the Hogwarts Attack!"

"That sounds great!" Blaise grinned from ear to ear, when inside her, her heart fell to her stomach. _Oh, Merlin no. Did it have to be so soon?_

            The Headmaster took his place in the high table with all the staff. Professor Snape's seat had not been removed, and it stood there empty, no other sitting in it.

"May I have everyone's attention, please," Dumbledore said, and when there was quiet, he continued. "You may have noticed some people walking in the aisles that are not part of our staff today."

Harry snorted from where he was sitting, rubbing Shasha's head.

"They are Inquisitors, sent from the Ministry to ensure our safety and that no dark wizard is hiding among us. When they stop you and ask who you are, please answer them. I have to inform you that if you give the Inquisitors reason, they will look upon you as an enemy. There is no reason to be afraid though," he said a bit louder to cover the noise that his statement created, "as long as you stop when you are asked to and identify yourselves. Now, let's have breakfast."

            Ron snorted as he grabbed the toast.

"Sure we are safe. I don't see the Slytherins be uncomfortable- see that Parkinson, she's all giggles."

"I think you are right, Ron," Hermione said and set down her fork. Harry, however, continued eating as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"Eat up, guys," he said, "because our time's coming, and these guys are gonna be pushovers when we are done with them."

***

"Stop! State your purpose!"

"You there, where are you going? Can you prove it?"

"I'll shoot if you don't answer me, and stop stuttering!"

            The prompts and rude commands were giving Harry a headache. Apparently, however, he was not the only one, because during lunch Dumbledore announced that to facilitate the work of the Inquisitors, all students would walk from one class to another in groups that would be escorted by a Professor or Madam Pomfrey. The Inquisitors didn't seem to appreciate the fact; Harry heard them grunting and muttering as if they were disappointed, but the shouts ceased after this announcement. However, it was as if martial law had been declared in Hogwarts.

            In the Gryffindor common room, Harry walked up to Hermione.

"'Mione, would you come with me? I need some help with my DADA work," he told her, and both her and Ron blinked up. This was the phrase Harry used when he wanted to talk to them about the Study Group business. They both came with him in his prefect room, and Harry shut the door.

"What is it, Harry?"

"We have to be far more careful now about our meetings. Unfortunately, we need to make them more frequently in the same time. We have much to learn and even more to practise."

"Alright…"

"I will set an hour from now on that will be standard, and I will change it every week. We will all try to meet to the room of requirement. I'm afraid it means less sleep- we will be meeting after midnight."

"Won't we be more obvious? We will be the only ones walking in the aisles at that time of the night," Ron said.

"I asked my godfather to do some shopping for me," Harry said and smiled thinly. He went to his closet, his fingers tracing it until they closed around the handle. He opened it and took out a medium-sized package.

"What is it?" Hermione asked. Harry tossed it towards Ron, who caught it and opened it. They both breathed in sharply in awe of what was in there.

In the parcel were three Invisibility Cloaks.

"Harry, this must have cost a fortune!"

"I have a fortune, 'Mione, and we are at war. Each cloak takes two. Give one to Neville, you two have the other, and make sure Blaise and Draco get the third."

"What about you?"

"I don't need any cloaks- I am Hogwart's shadow when I want to be," Harry said, and his unfocused, immobile emerald eyes sparkled with determination.

***

            It was already the end of March, and Snape still had not found the moment to tell Harry the truth. He had started being restless- all the Inquisitors around never gave him a single chance, and there was one present at all hours in Dumbledore's office. He had started really loathing them all when one had kicked him so hard that he had to sneak in his office to get some potion against internal bleeding. _Having to sneak in my very own quarters, I ask you. This will not pass unpunished._

            The Order itself had not had a chance to meet within Hogwarts grounds with all the Inquisitors present- it was a blessing that Snape had given to Remus Bellatrix's whereabouts before they had set foot in the castle. However, any activity on the part of the Order had stalled, because they had no chance of doing it in Hogwarts, and in the same time they had to accompany or protect students 24 – 7. _I wonder if Dumbledore had foreseen this, or he made an error letting them come here._

            As Sombre, he walked down the aisle and sat near the armour that Harry used to beat senseless when he was first learning to cope with his blindness. _I never thought that I would think upon those days as happier times._ Sombre always sat there, watching Harry walk past so silently that even he, with his finetuned hearing couldn't discern the boy's footsteps, and so quickly, through the shadows cast by the few candles of the corridor, that it was impossible to see the Boy-Who-Lived if you didn't know he was there. Sombre was so proud of the boy he actually purred at times. Those times, Harry would pause, then realise that it was a cat purring, and hurry on even faster.

            _He should pass any moment now. Perhaps I should stop him and tell him now. Before the schmuck patrolling the aisles comes this way. Or is it too dangerous? Perhaps Harry will shout, like Black did…_

Harry walked past like a shadow, his left hand tracing the wall, his walking stick almost not touching. Sombre was ready to shift, when he heard a set of footsteps that weren't supposed to be there. Harry heard them too and tried to run away.

"_Stupefy!"_

"_Protego_!" Harry reacted lightning fast and the spell was thwarted. However, the Inquisitor had planned his attack, and was holding a second wand already poised to strike. Sombre saw the telltale swish movement and heard no spell-word. Harry could not see all this, and he could not suspect the danger he was in. _He will kill him with the sabre spell!_

That could not be allowed to happen. Sombre let out a yowl and pounced.

______________________________

And that's that for tonight! *hands Snape a nice red Cabernet in a tall glass and sits with him* As you can suspect, action is going to be the daily deal from now on… what _was_ Dumbledore thinking? *snickers* *Snape rolls his eyes*

As for my reviewers:

Barbara Kennedy: Machiavellian twist? *chuckles and bows* Thank you, thank you. Snape taught me well. The Wake for Snape happened a few days after his alledged death. Sombre was out stalking Mrs. Lestrange. I just didn't bother describing it. It wasn't like there would be an enormous turnup. *chuckles*

fyre: No, Snape's surviving the killing curse has nothing to do with his animagus form. So I guess Sombre is still with his lives intact. *g* I think it's apparent if Sirius knew or not about the charade with this chapter. I am sorry you don't appreciate Blaise, but you can't expect her to open up now. She is nothing sort of a Sphinx in keeping everything she feels and thinks to herself, simply because it's a question of survival. In any case, the story is not over yet, perhaps you will end up liking Blaise ;) As for what Harry will sense out regarding the inquisitors, we will soon see. Thanks for the delicious review!

Shinigami06: I am flattered that it caused you so many emotions. I hope this chapter meets the standard.

excessivelyperky: you think it's furry _now? what will it be later then??_

water drifter: how Snape remained alive will probably be revealed in the next chapter or the one after it.

Marauder3Moony: *grin* thanks!

Wolfmoon: Thanks for the vote of confidence! Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Mikee: Hey there! Nice to have you back with us! As for your hoping, trust me, everyone else is hoping for the same, too.

ShortySC22: Thanks!

Chantelli: don't worry, we are only half-way through this one yet.

mickeymoose: I agree!

Ms Padfoot: sometimes I sort into Slytherin, other into Gryffindor. I'm an official Gryfferin *snickers* What IS a Fuzzy Navel, anyway??


	11. 11

Hello everyone again! *Snape nods curtly and goes to fix a Fuzzy navel from a recipe that some fans gave him surreptitiously during the end of last time* I hope he fixes one for me, too… hehe

So, let's see what will happen today! You really HAVE to worship me for updating, even at this rather moderate rate, because during the week I work 12 hours a day and study for my senior year the rest of the time… yet here it is! Your instalment.

Chapter 11 *hits play*

_______________________________

Harry heard the yowl from the cat and the sound implied that it was jumping at him or at the Inquisitor. He jumped away in the opposite direction and felt hostile magical energy brush past his face. He gasped, feeling like a knife cut him, but he didn't linger at all. He pointed his wand again and shot the curse he loved the most:

"_Lepidae!"_

The curse homed in and hit the Inquisitor, missing Sombre by inches. In his flailing, the Inquisitor grabbed at the cat and managed to point his wand at himself and whisper the countercurse. By the time he looked up, the Boy-Who-Lived was running away down the hall. Any element of surprise was lost, at least for tonight.

The Inquisitor's grip tightened on Sombre's neck in anger. "I almost had him and it's your fault! I'll make skin out of you!"

Sombre found himself in a very tight spot- he vaguely knew that voice, and it was not an acquaintance he would appreciate knowing his secret. He therefore couldn't afford to shift without killing the Inquisitor. But if that happened, a dead Inquisitor might mean Dumbledore's indictment at a time where the Order of the Phoenix needed its leader the most. _Cat fight it is then… Sombre thought grimly as the oxygen was starting to have trouble reaching his brain and he growled and clawed at the man. He scratched the hand that was holding him deeply many times, but the Inquisitor wouldn't relax his grip. He pointed his wand at the cat, and the curse hit full blast, sending the small Burmese crashing in the armour of the hall. _

"_Stupefy!"_

"_Pedalis Nix!"_

"_Cicatricas Manos!"_

"_Corpus Avaris!"_

"_Pantaichis!"_

5 curses hit squarely the Inquisitor, some of them quite creative, from five different wands. All the members of the Study Group that had already gone to the room of Requirement for the meeting had followed Harry back to the aisle. Draco and Blaise grinned with satisfaction at their handiwork, smiling between themselves those dangerous smiles that Slytherin was known to house. Ron scowled darkly.

"Are you sure we've done enough?"

"Well, we _could have him hanging upside down from the ceiling and write on the wall 'Beware the Study Group' in bloody letters, but hasn't that been done before?" Blaise quipped and Draco chuckled._

"Guys, Sombre must be here somewhere! Can you look for him?" Harry said urgently, and Hermione was heard picking through the armour.

"Harry, I think the cat is pinned between the armour plates. He doesn't look very happy," she said grimly as Harry walked over there.

"Is he bleeding? He saved my life!"

"We'll see. I'll disentangle him first," Hermione said and waved her wand. The armour plates shrunk and pulled away, leaving the small cat lying on his side and mewing in irritation.

"Let's take him to Pomfrey," Ron said.

"Then we'll have to tell about the Inquisitor," Blaise warned.

"He has already seen us," Hermione said.

"No, he was too busy picking on the cat. He has only seen Harry," Draco said, looking at the Inquisitor in contempt. The man was floating a few feet off the floor, squiggling in itchiness he couldn't counter, his hands so dreadfully lacerated that he couldn't use his wand, and his feet refusing to obey him. The Study Group had learnt to work together well in curse combination.

"What happened here!?" Professor Lupin's voice was heard from the hall as the DADA professor was running to meet them.

"I was going to our meeting, and the Inquisitor jumped me. Sombre prevented him from killing me- he used some sort of sabre spell, so I couldn't hear him chant," Harry said. Remus saw Harry's cheek was still bleeding from a diagonal cut that started from his jawline and ended at his nose- it looked nasty, but could be fixed later.

"We have lingered here enough. Let's go in the room," he said and got Sombre from Hermione's hands. He looked injured, but nothing was bleeding. As most of the Study Group entered the room of Requirement, Remus pressed Sombre gently in several places. The cat growled and glared.

"Do you know how we can help him?"

"I know we can't take him to Poppy. I am not sure what we should do, and the Headmaster is out with Mr. Black," Remus said thoughtfully.

"We can't let him suffer! He might die before they return! Is there nobody that can help and be trusted?" Harry said urgently. Remus sighed and looked at the cat.

"I will have to do it. After all, this presents the chance you wanted," he told Sombre who shut his eyes, bracing for the pain that was about to ensue.

"What chance?" Draco asked and Harry frowned.

Remus concentrated, telling the room of Requirement that he really needed a bed, and it popped up nearby. The Study Group blinked.

"Why a man-sized bed?" Hermione asked. Harry felt his heart beat faster, his mind racing. _If Sombre is an animagus… that I found near a cauldron some time ago… could it be?_ He gripped Ron's arm so hard in anticipation that Ron yelped.

Remus set Sombre on the bed and pointed his wand. He spoke the spell needed to restore human form to the cat. With a pop and a loud groan, Severus Snape morphed into his usual snarky self. 

Silence filled the room, as everyone stared and could not believe their eyes. Harry ran to the bed, his hands quickly reaching the face, to feel the features. He barely had time to touch a hooked nose before the scathing remark came, more welcome than Harry could ever imagine it could be:

"Paws… off, Potter!"

"You are alive! You are _alive_!? You _are alive!" Harry's voice intonated differently as different emotions flooded him. Without thinking, he punched Snape where he calculated his stomach to be._

"You git, I will kill you myself now! Why did you _do_ this to me!?" Draco and Ron had to pull Harry back as Snape hissed in more pain and curled up on the bed. Remus rushed forward.

"Harry, it's not prudent to hit him right now. Wait until we have fixed him," he said quickly.

"I'll fix him! Permanently! Is that your idea of a joke!? I couldn't sleep at nights because I thought you had died because of me!" Harry fought against Ron's and Draco's grip, trying to fly at the Professor again.

"From the looks of it, he might still die, Potter," Draco said scathingly, in a worried voice. Harry stopped, panting.

"How can we help you, Professor?" Blaise asked, for the first time happily. She understood why Snape had hidden the fact that he was still alive- she was just as Slytherin as her mentor, and currently she was only happy that he was there, among them.

"Gag… Potter… first," Snape managed to utter.

Remus had to chuckle. "I told you that he has his father's temperament. I'll run a diagnosis on you, because I don't see anything broken or bleeding."

"Don't… have to… curse was… ugh… Sang Frigidae…"

Harry paled. That was a curse to freeze the blood slowly in the victim's veins, causing stroke and heart attack in the same time.

"Potion, do you have a potion for this?" Harry asked quickly.

Snape didn't answer immediately, making Harry even more agitated. He didn't want the Potions Master to die now that he had finally gotten him back. Remus bent over Severus, and listened intently while he whispered instructions in the werewolf's ear.

"Harry, Severus tells me you move fast and quietly through the aisles. Take Hermione and Draco with you and go to the dungeons. In his personal cupboard there are three vials labelled with three runes. You will have to brew the potion exactly like you do for Pepper Up, adding in the end the three vials in the exact sequence the runes indicate together. Hermione, I trust you can help the boys in the area?"

Hermione nodded quickly. Remus nodded.

"Good. Draco, you brew the potion because you are sighted and Harry, Severus says that the potion should go under a freezing charm the moment the scent changes. He trusts you can do it."

"We will. Just keep him alive until then," Harry said with determination as Draco called one invisibility cloak to him. Hermione hugged Ron once for support, Draco winked to Blaise, and then the Gryffindor and the Slytherin gathered around Harry, and threw the cloak over them.

"Are we properly camouflaged?" Harry asked.

"We're all set, Potter," Draco said, and the three students were out the door.

***

Dumbledore returned quickly that same day to Hogwarts, after Remus informed him of the crisis that occurred during his absence. Remus was waiting for him in his office.

"What is the situation as we speak?" Albus asked as he walked to a chair in the DADA room. It wasn't safe to speak in the headmaster's office with the Inquisitor always present.

"Severus is in Harry's prefect room. He is weak yet and has joint pains, but he is recuperating fine. By tomorrow he should be good as new. Apparently, it was as we suspected, and the Inquisitors are after Harry's life."

"What of the Inquisitor that attacked Harry?"

"He is still under Poppy's care. The students were very creative with their curse combinations. I also suspect that Poppy isn't doing everything in her capacity for the man's quick recuperation," Remus said with a small smirk.

"Did Professor Flitwick do it?"

"Yes. The Inquisitor is partly obliviated- he remembers being in a skirmish but not with whom."

"That is good. When Severus is healthy, we will continue with our initial plan- Sirius is preparing everything at Black Manor. Of course we will have to inform Harry so that the plan can succeed."

"Miss Zabini informed me that there is excitement among the Death Eater ranks. They are all expecting a big gathering soon, so more than the inner circle will be gathered."

"Good, good. How did Harry take the revelation of Severus' demise?"

"He isn't talking to me at the moment, but I think after punching Severus he forgave him," Remus said with a small smile.

Albus smiled and got up.

"I think that we have established enough that we do not intend to cross the Inquisitors in the least. I should think that after almost a month of inactivity, our side seems weakened enough."

"What are you saying, Headmaster?" Remus said, his heart beating fast with the excitement- it was going to be the end of waiting and brooding, and finally action would be taken.

"I am saying that now is the time for that visit to Minister Bagman." Dumbledore said cheerfully, and then walked towards the exit. "And I do believe that today the custard will be particularly tasty, don't you?"

***

Harry watched Snape rest through Sasha's eyes, and for the first time he was glad to see the stern professor reclining and recuperating. He usually felt sorry or guilt, but he was returned from the dead in Harry's mind, and the fact that he could watch him breathing was a gift that he had long believed unattainable. He caught himself smiling, forgetting the time.

"You will make Sasha go unconscious, Potter," Snape said as he opened his eyes a crack. Harry sat up in surprise- he had forgotten that the mind link could tire Sasha that much if it were upheld for more that 1 hour continuously. He broke the link quickly.

"I'm sorry, Sasha," he hissed to the snake apologetically and petted her.

"No, Harry… I'm glad you liked what you ssssaw," Sasha hissed then thrust her head up Harry's sleeve to sleep off the tiredness.

Without vision now, the advantage of watching was on Snape's part again, and he watched not without satisfaction the look of content on the boy's face. _It feels so nice to have you be so glad I am alive. Lily's genes more than Potters, I bet. _

"So, how?" Harry asked, breaking the silence.

"How, what?" Snape asked back.

"How did you survive the Avada Kedavra?" Harry repeated, his eyes staring motionlessly at the opposite wall. They were unresponsive to the light, and so did not move away from the ray of the sun that shone right into them, making the emerald colour of Lily's eyes deep and sparkling. He still had on his cheek a paper thin scar that was quickly disappearing where the Inquisitor's curse had cut him.

"I'll answer you if you answer me the same question first," Snape said in amusement, shifting in the bed sorely.

"Come on, Professor, I can't believe a Slytherin like you took a chance with something so tremendously important. Do I have to ask someone else? They might wonder why I want to know that," Harry purred almost, sparring with the Potions Master, enjoying the sharp turns the conversation took with the man. He heard Snape breathe in and out carefully. He waited.

"I survived the killing curse because of Professor Lupin, Potter," Snape answered.

"That still doesn't tell me how," Harry pressed.

"There is a charm, a medicinal one, called Effectio Stasis- it makes the body stop all metabolism, all activity. In sort it gives the semblance of death. The killing curse can act only when it can bind to something that it detects is alive. Under the stasis spell, there is no indication of life. Professor Lupin cast the charm on me seconds before the killing curse hit. When it did hit me, it thought I was already dead, and dispersed in the air. Is that sufficient information?"

Harry nodded slowly, taking the information in. He recalled hearing Remus chant, but he never had thought that he could have been chanting something to protect Snape from the killing curse. Harry decided he would forgive Remus for keeping him in the dark on this, just because he was so efficient in his timing.

"I am happy to know you are alive. I still hate you for not letting me know, but I guess there was logic behind it… damn I envy Blaise. She just took it as natural, what you did."

"Zabini has the mentality of a Slytherin, not a Gryffindor, Potter."

"The Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin initially," Harry said. If Snape was surprised, there was no trace of the surprise in his voice.

"Still, it didn't put you there in the end. So that is not much of an argument, is it?"

"I guess not…" Harry said and got up, picking up his cane. "I have to go to class, Professor."

"I gathered as much," Snape said, watching Harry pick up his bag and walk towards the exit. As he was about to open the door, Snape said with a small smile that he knew Harry wouldn't be able to hear in his voice:

"Oh and Potter?"

The boy stopped without turning.

"That will be 20 points from Gryffindor for punching me, and 50 for calling me a git," Snape said and Harry smirked, shaking his head, as he walked out and warded his door. _The man has –got- to sort out his priorities…_

***

Blaise was especially happy that day- Snape was alive, she knew curses that Pansy couldn't even dream of, her cover was well established and she was getting good grades, too. She walked towards the Charms classroom with Draco, who seemed to always have time to escort her to the classes they had in common, and never time to even talk to Pansy. Parkinson's bickering about that amused her immensely.

"There are some days that you think everything is perfect in the world," she told Draco as they walked through the aisles. He smirked and side looked at her.

"Now that's a thought I'd expect the youngest Weasley to voice," he said and Blaise elbowed him playfully. The fact that Snape was back had helped bring up the girl's natural youth in character and countenance, instead of the stony silence and the lust for revenge one could usually see churning in her eyes. _She is almost bouncy, Draco thought with amusement. Not only amusement, he thought a little surprised, but also fondness. He did not just respect Blaise Zabini, or admire her for undertaking something he never thought he could do, but… he just liked the damn girl._

"Well I don't see why I can't see perfection in the world once in a while. Seeing it always deranged and drab is tiring to the senses, and I feel happy today, regardless the Inquisitors around," she said and smiled thinly.

"I'm glad then. You look better when you are happy," Draco replied.

"Oh so I don't look good when I am unhappy, is that it?" Blaise pretended to be insulted, and Draco smirked.

"Don't try that trip with me, Zabini," he drawled, "because I know every trick in the syntax and grammar and you can't turn what I said on it's head: I said you looked _better_, not that you don't look good in general."

"Is that so, mr. Malfoy? So you are, in other words, paying me a complement?"

Draco arched an eyebrow and smiled again.

"Perhaps I am," he said. 

The conversation would have gone on further, had it not been interrupted by a loud squawk from a nondescript owl. It came right at Draco and offered him a letter. Draco frowned and his heart started beating fast.

"It's from my mother," he said tentatively, as he opened the note.

_Dear Draco_

_your father has escaped from Azkaban. Watch your step, you are not safe._

_Mum_

Draco's hands holding the paper started shaking.

________________________________

That's it for today! Things are escalating or not? *snickers* *gets a Fuzzy Navel from Snape who has gone to refill his glass* He seems to like it! Hee hee. 

As for my reviewers: 

Barbara Kennedy: Well, nothing stops you from writing out what you think would go on in Snape's Wake! I'd love to read it! As for Sombre getting hurt, well, he's accident prone. *chuckles* But he is, I think, done with injuries for this story. There are others to take up that, now. *evil grin*

Love Childe: Well, he certainly is not thinking in the usual way… but he IS thinking, I assure you. *wink*

Phoenix Padfoot 89: eh… well because I wanted to leave it hanging. *L* I am bad.

Rilaisseth: I am glad! Here is more!

Allison lightning: actually, we both schemed over this. We wanted to see how you'd react if he was the one that died. *wink*

Chantelli: *L* I am glad you appreciate! *Severus feels queasy about eating himself, but Sirius exterminates the cookies*

water drifter: we don't really know who the Inquisitors are, yet…

Marauder3Moony: here's more then…

Shinigami06: I am not sure if you will like the scene after all. I mean, it was not entirely canon, as a 'dead-man-reveals-he's-alive-to-other-important-hero-in-story', is it? But still I hope you enjoyed.

Maximum Poofy-Pissed Off Queen: Well I hope you found it fun. And look there! An Inquisitor got his ass whipped by our Study group!!

Ms. Padfoot: I think he would be a cat. hee hee. Cats can be so devious and stealthy and sneaky when they want to. That and he is the other side of McGonagall, isn't he? Or was that too far fetched? *L*

Mikee: sorry about the cliffies… I won't hurt Sev… completely. I mean, he can take it. *dodges empty flying cocktail glass from Snape* eh… yeah. *L* As for Sasha, not really, because she isn't that interested in cats. Now, Crookshanks is a whole different deal. *chuckles*

Kemenran: Ludo is worse than Fudge, because he actually is a puppet minister, and acts upon other people's orders. At least with Fudge, we know that the stupidity is all his, right? As for the rest, I can't really say, yet. 

Lady Lightning: well, it's not bad either, is it?

kateydidn't: nobody really knows yet… hehe


	12. 12

*enters with Snape, eating éclairs* he likes chocolate, I like chocolate… you get the picture. We are back to offer you a new instalment before Monday comes to whisk me away to job and business again. Soooo…

Let's see what happens this time, shall we?

Chapter 12 *hit play*

__________________________

            Voldemort perused his group of Death Eaters once again. It was almost the bulk of them, all that he had left, all that he had aquired. He was satisfied. The death of that traitor, Severus Snape, and the fact that all the Inquisitors Bagman had stationed in Hogwarts were keeping the Order from making any steps made him feel powerful again, in the lead of the game. He knew that Dumbledore would have trouble finding such a loyal and good Potions maker- much less Master- as Snape had been, whereas he had the next best Master, and she had proven her loyalty more graphically than Snape ever had. That was a bonus in the case. Also, Harry Potter had lost yet another protector- a vital one, as Zabini and Parkinson had informed him. _If I knew that it was the blasted greaseball that managed to turn the blind boy into a dueller, I would have killed him half a year earlier, Voldemort ruminated. Still, he was dead now, so that was that._

"My loyal Death Eatersss…" he said as every black clad figure bowed at the sound of his voice, "I have called you today, to celebrate. I have called you today, to bow to the perseverance that true loyalty gives. I have called you to accept back in our folds Lucius Malfoy- who escaped from Azkaban."

            Blaise hailed the tall man that came to stand, head bowed, in front of the Dark Lord, just as every one of her peers did. Her heart started beating fast. _Oh no… Draco… her mind repeated as she watched Lucius. Her breath was hot underneath her mask. _He is doomed. What can I do?__

            Lucius was much thinner than before Hogwarts Attack, and it showed in his face. His cheekbones were protruding more, his eyes were more hollow, making them seem larger and more intense- they shone with hatred and triumph. After the round of applause and all the hailing that took place, Voldemort made everyone be quiet again.

"Approach, Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson," he ordered. The two girls approached, head bowed. Pansy was shaking with adrenaline. "Remove your masks," came the usual order, and Blaise removed hers without lifting her head.

"How can we serve you, my lord?" she asked quietly, shielding her emotions and her reeling mind as Professor Snape had taught her. Instead of an answer, there came the usual curse that Voldemort enjoyed. Pansy and Blaise screamed. Behind them, in the circle, Crabbe and Goyle trembled in fear that they would follow their classmates' fate. Then, the curse was let up. Blaise managed to get back on all fours, Pansy still hadn't managed not to stop whimpering after the curse was let up.

"I punished you, because you were deceived, and none of my Death Eaters should be deceived by their enemies."

Blaise knew what he was talking about, but she kept quiet.

"How were we deceived, my Lord?" Pansy asked in a teary voice. Voldemort didn't answer, but seemed to be nodding to someone else.

"My son deceived you," Lucius' voice was as silky as before, but now added was the element of rage, of indignancy that was barely contained. "Draco Malfoy is no longer considered to be my son. He betrayed me and our Lord. He must pay for his insolence!"

"Lucius… I understand your disappointment… but only I can tell what should be done with anyone. I was hoping you remembered that," Voldemort said, and cursed Lucius to the other side of the room- however, he didn't cast Crucio on the fugitive: a big favour, coming from the Dark Lord. Lucius got up and bowed, apologising.

            Voldemort turned to Blaise and Pansy.

"You both are close to young Malfoy, aren't you?"

"Yes, my Lord," the girls said in unison.

"Bring young Draco to me," Voldemort ordered.

"If he should resist, my Lord?" Blaise asked tentatively.

"I do not care if he is brought to me whole or not, Blaise Zabini, as long as he is alive enough to look his father… and his master in the eyes," Voldemort said and smiled stonily.

***

            Harry tapped his way towards breakfast along with a group of students, that were accompanied by Minerva McGonagall. Sombre was walking nearby, tail high, head straight in irritation. 

"Ginny?" Harry called, trying to discern footsteps. He heard shuffling and rearranging going on around him, and mcGonagall's irritated voice telling students to walk on, please.

"I'm here, Harry. What do you want?" he heard Ginny's voice right next to him. He smiled.

"Sombre wants to be established as a certain student's familiar… I was wondering if you could make a scene so that everyone sees it is his."

"You bet, Harry," Ginny said and picked up the black Burmese gleefully- it was not many times in one's lifetime that you got to pick up Severus Snape, in cat form or not.

            Draco was trying to find Blaise in the crowd of Slytherins, as they were finding seats to sit down and eat their breakfast, when he heard a shriek that was typically Weasley-ish, and a high pitched voice calling at him.

"DRACO MALFOY!"

He turned around and saw Ginny, being as red in the face as she was in the hair, coming at him, holding a disgruntled Sombre in her two hands, so that most of the cat's body was dangling as far away from the girl as possible. _Oh my. Is the Professor having fun or what? He put on a look of contempt and sneered._

"If it isn't one of the weasels. What's up little girl?"

"Do you know who this is!?" Ginny said angrily, tending the cat to him. Draco looked at the cat's coal black eyes that were staring at him in pure anger. 

"Yes, so?"

"Aha, so you admit it! You admit you have trained your familiar to get into Gryffindor Tower and mess things up!"

"What is it, did Sombre hide your knickers somewhere?" Draco said, playing along. Sombre growled low and his tail swished in irritation. Ginny shoved Sombre in his hands and about turned.

"If I ever catch your familiar in MY dorm, I will skin it alive!" she shriek at the top of her lungs, walking back from laughing Slytherins and smirking classmates.

"Well Sombre, seems your next stop will be Potter's suitcase then," he said outloud and Slytherins laughed once more, as the cat hissed and pfffted until Draco let him on the table near his plate. The Slytherins all commented him on the beauty of the black cat. Sombre was officially his.

***

            Blaise was pacing back and forth in the Slytherin common room, not knowing what to do. She had put Pansy under a sleeping charm, so that she would not wake up and alarm anyone. She didn't worry about Crabbe and Goyle: they had received no orders, and therefore the food would distract them enough for Draco's safety during breakfast. _What am I to do? I won't let him be killed in front of Voldemort! But what can I do?_ She had gone to Dumbledore the moment they were back from the meeting- about 4 am. The wizard had heard her carefully, then sent her off to bed with the orders to do just that. She wasn't sure if even the man had taken any measures or not.

            She was so agitated that she didn't see the black cat entering. She looked up only when she heard the 'pop' and the Potions Master was standing before her.

"You will carry out your order today," he told her quickly.

"I am not going to give Draco to Voldemort!"

"Don't scream his name. I have taught you better," Snape snapped at her and she recoiled, and swallowed.

"It is to mr. Malfoy's interest that you carry out the Dark Lord's order rather than Parkinson," Snape said evenly and she looked up again.

"What must I do?" she said in determination.

***

            Sirius Black read the apparating parchment. He was in a foul mood: he had found that there was no way to detach his mother's portrait from the wall. The woman was screaming like a banshee every time she laid eyes on him. He had resorted in sticking a canvas of James and Lily over her, with sticking charms. She still screamed in indignation, but it as muffled, and James liked nothing more than keeping the portrait underneath his busy enough to leave Sirius alone.

"What!? Is Dumbledore—hell, he'll have Snape staying over before the year is through at this rate!" he said to himself after he finished reading it. Nevertheless, he sent a reply- quick and laconic:

_Fine, send him over._

***

            That same night, a large meeting was held in the room of requirement, instead of a training session. Severus Snape and Remus Lupin were in the room as well as Harry, Draco, Fred, George, Neville, Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

"Miss Zabini has to inform you of something important. We delayed it for a day, but Miss Parkinson will wake early tomorrow," Remus said seriously.

"Am I on Voldemort's death roll?" Draco said bitterly.

"He wants me and Pansy to bring you to him," Blaise said and looked downwards. Harry shivered, remembering what he had seen when Karkaroff was captured.

"Obviously we can't do something like that without jeopardizing Mr. Malfoy's health," Snape said snidely.

"Can he stage his death, like you did?" Harry asked.

"Even your friends will tell you, mr. Potter, that you can't pull off a trick more than once and expect it to succeed more than once," Snape said cuttingly.

"I'm afraid he's right, Harry," George said with a dejected little sigh.

"We have to figure out new ways to do stuff with mum every time," Fred added, "'cause it's like she keeps a log of our exploits."

"I can't blame her," Remus said with a little smile.

"So how can we help Draco?" Hermione asked.

"We will allow the girls to _start_ taking him to Voldemort."

"But if they fail, he will punish them!" Draco protested. Blaise shrugged.

"So what if he does? He can't afford to kill off anyone. Our number is small as it is."

"I won't have you tortured on my account!" Draco said, getting flushed.

"And I won't have you killed, either," Blaise said simply.

"Don't go all Potter-ish with me, Zabini!" Draco said through clenched teeth.

"You started it," Blaise said with a little smile.

"Hey, what's all the Potter thing? Are you implying I am –"

"Don't go there, Harry," said Remus with a smile. Snape sneered, then clapped his hands twice to make everyone silent, sighted or not.

"Don't presume to worry about a student more than her teachers, Malfoy," he said in reprimand, "rest assured that she will be fine. Now, make sure that you make yourself available tomorrow night in the Slytherin common room. I will be there to supervise, make sure nothing goes wrong."

"What about us, professor?" Harry asked.

"You will start taking care of the Inquisitors. Be assured the worst that will happen to you will be detention with the Headmaster," Remus said and all the Study Group laughed.

***

            Two hours before breakfast, the Inquisitors spilled across all of Hogwarts grounds. At pairs, they walked brusquely, to take their positions. A wand seemed to float in air, a hex was muttered.

"_Dessinato__ Florae!"_

Multicoloured flowers started writing themselves on the Inquisitor's robes. As soon as they noticed, they became agitated and started casting detection spells all around, but whoever had cast the hex was long gone.

"The damn flowers won't come off!" one Inquisitor said.

"Glamourie?"

"It glances off!"

"Well screw it, we have to go be in position!" the Inquisitor said angrily and walked on quickly.

            Fred and George bit their lips to keep from laughing, both concealed under chameleon charms (they looked as part of the walls of the aisle). They nodded to each other and pointed their wands a few meters further down than where the Inquisitors currently were.

            The Inquisitors suddenly found themselves in a moat, deep and smelly, complete with mosquitoes and funny little creatures eager to crawl up their robes. The Weasley twins made themselves visible and giggled as they ran away from the Inquisitors that were struggling to get out of the murky waters.

***

            "Halt! State your business!" an Inquisitor said to Harry and Neville. The boys both smiled.

"We have no business," Harry said, not even bothering to turn his head towards the sound of the Inquisitor's voice.

"We are here for trouble only," Neville said and pointing his wand he muttered a spell. It didn't hit the Inquisitor; it went squarely on the gargoyle behind the inquisitor.

"You little ruffian! You are lucky you missed, because now I am only going toaaaaaah!" the Inquisitor growled then screamed as the gargoyle came to life suddenly and grabbed the Inquisitor, keeping him pinned there. Harry chuckled.

"Neville, you _gotta_ describe his expression to me."

"Well," said Neville, laughingly as they walked away from the struggling man, "his eyes bulged and he paled…"

The Inquisitor was left captive of the stone gargoyle.

"Don't leave me!" he called after the boys that didn't even turn a head. He was left there for every student to see.

***

            Hermione grinned in satisfaction along with Ron, as Harry walked up to them, laughing out loud with Neville.

"They are all in the bag, it's your turn. You got to cover a moat, a gargoyle, three hanging Inquisitors at the greenhouses, 5 more wedged between the wall stones in the dungeon aisles and a whole group of them ensnared in a bubble – Ginny has them hovering right outside the Headmaster's office."

"Let's go, Ron!" Hermione said with the same eagerness that she had for studying. Ron ran outside with her. As they both moved their wands in unison, passing in front of every ensnared Inquisitor that Harry had told them of, Ron grinned in glee:

"Oh, this will be a breakfast to remember!"

***

            Dumbledore petted Fawkes with the same twinkle of the older days.

"Today we resume attack in the chess game, my friend," he said lovingly to the phoenix. Fawkes tweetered happily and enjoyed the Headmaster's touch. Albus smiled and gave him one of his favourite muffins, then put on his hat (a sky blue one with silver stars), and went out.

            He was greeted with 6 Inquisitors in a hovering bubble charm. He smiled at them cheerfully.

"Goodmorning, gentlemen," he said happily and took in every man's face. The Study Group had done a really good job.

For every Inquisitor's glamourie spell over his face had been torn off. Dumbledore saw a few faces that should not even be free. _The time to see Minister Bagman has come._

___________________________

And that's that! It is a bit shorter, but only by a paragraph. There was no other place to end the chapter without ruining the next one! Things are escalating fast, as you can see! Hope you liked. *Snape gets amaretto with orange twist*

As for my reviewers: I will answer everyone next time, because I am a little tired to do so today.


	13. 13

*walks in, taking a break from studying and working, Snape brings his correcting work to do, sits in the most comfortable chair* Hey people. I know, I know- I'm late. But I really have lots of midterms and work to prepare for my students. It's midterm week(s). So wish me luck.

Without any more ado, let's get to the chapter!

Chapter 13 *hit play*

_____________________

            Ludo Bagman felt that he was caught between hammer and anvil. No matter what choice he made, he would end up being the loser. There was no gambling to do, no risk to day. Ludo Bagman was, in rough terms, fried. He swallowed uncomfortably and glanced at the tall, severe form of the Headmaster, who had come with Arthur Weasley by his side- another ministry official. There was no way bagman would disprove both their testimonies, even if they hadn't both been members of the Order of the Phoenix. 

"Well, Ludo, I expect your explanation on how it is possible for escapee convicts from Azkaban prison to be patrolling my school in your name."

"It is obvious that they infiltrated the ranks of the Inquisitors. You can't hold me responsible for this!" Ludo said quickly.

"I will be very interested what the board of directors of Hogwarts will have to say on this, once they hear that the Minister himself compromised the safety of the school," Albus said, his eyes sparkling with bright, unrelenting flame. When Albus stared like that, not even Severus Snape could hold his gaze.

"If you tear down the trust of the people in the Ministry now that Voldemort is on the loose, you will put the whole wizarding world in danger!" Ludo tried to defend his position.

"Nobody said the Ministry will be proven untrustworthy," Arthur said sternly. "But I don't know what will happen to you personally, Mr. Bagman," he added.

            Ludo felt his brow sweating, and he fidgeted this way and that in his big minister's chair. How could he really get out of this in one piece? As if Dumbledore read his thought, he said:

"I think it would be to your interest if you told us the whole truth, Ludo- as a token of your good will to serve the Order. That was your oath when you took this position, do you remember?"

"I remember," Ludo said, rubbing his temples. He was becoming more and more agitated by the minute.

"I might even find, in your words, just reason for what you allowed to happen, and help you," Dumbledore threw a crumb of hope towards the minister's way.

"Although you probably don't deserve it. Setting the lives of _children in jeopardy!" Arthur fumed, but a glance from Dumbledore calmed him down. Ludo breathed raggedly. He suddenly got up from his chair and paced up and down in the office._

"I really am pressed for time, Minister," Dumbledore said, his voice cutting like glass, and Bagman flinched. He turned to look at Dumbledore, his eyes wild like an animal caught in a lethal trap. 

            Suddenly, he got out his wand and pointed it, trembling, towards the other two wizards in the room.

"I won't let you destroy me! I will fight for my life!" he croaked, his eyes shooting back and forth between the Leader of the Order, and his ally. Dumbledore smiled amiably.

"My good man, I do believe in this way you are doing the exact opposite. Do reconsider. All I want from you, is information."

"It would be to your interest to give it up willingly- not under interrogation," Arthur said with clenched teeth, his hand ready to go for his wand.

            Ludo stayed immobile, wand out for a while, watching the two unwavering wizards. Then his hand fell to his side as if made of wood, and he covered his face, with a sob.

"If I tell you, I will die," he said.

"If you tell me, there is a chance you will live longer," Albus amended. Bagman bent his head in defeat.

"Alright," he said, his voice trembling.

***

            Sombre lounged in the Slytherin common room. He felt much more comfortable there than in Harry's Gryffindor prefect room. _Far too… red and gold for my tastes. Draco was sitting at the edge of an armchair, his fingers intertwined in front of his mouth. He bit his lips many times. Sombre hopped up on the armchair's arm, and his tail brushed against Draco's knuckled. He turned and looked into the Burmese's black eyes._

"I know, but I am worried," he whispered, watching Slytherin students go back and forth with lessons and other affairs. The news that the Inquisitors had been unmasked by some unknown force was still going around in the houses, in many interesting variations. Everyone thought that Dumbledore was behind it, and some bet that there were Aurors hiding in the school. Draco smirked mirthlessly. _In a way, you are right. You wouldn't want to face Potter in a duel anytime soon._

            Then, it was time for the third period- the common room emptied. Draco pretended going through the motions of preparing his bag to go to class. He heard the footsteps- the practice with the blindfold that Harry had put them all through had helped his hearing become somewhat acute.

"Going anywhere, Draco?" came the voice, and Draco froze. _Pansy!_ He turned slowly and looked at her. It took his all to put on a pokerface and pretend he didn't know why she was there, smirking sinisterly. 

"What business is it of yours, Pansy?" Draco asked, as Sombre hopped off the chair and stood behind Draco.

"It is very much my business- not only mine, actually. Blaise's, too," she grinned, knowing that Draco would be mollified. He seemed to stick around to Blaise a lot- probably to extract information from the girl death eater. Pansy was still mad at Draco that he hadn't tried to stick to _her to extract information. Blaise walked up, and she glared at Draco with comtempt and disgust- as befit a true Death Eater. Draco shivered- it all seemed so real, as if Blaise had not been the one to want to protect him from Voldemort._

"I don't see how- and aren't you afraid Lupin's gonna ask where we have been, instead of in his classroom?" he tilted his head.

"Draco, we come to you in the name of the Dark Lord," Blaise said. Pansy remained silent, as she'd promised the other girl.

"What would he want with me?" Draco asked, and his heart started picking up in beats.

"You are unmarked. The Dark Lord wants to speak to you, for a mission that only one such as you can do," Blaise said. "Do you refuse?"

"Please, Draco, don't refuse, I'd hate to have to kill you," Pansy said with mock concern.

"I won't refuse, of course. I am dedicated to the Dark Lord. Right now?"

"Yes. Follow us," Pansy said and the girls went out. Draco picked up Sombre and followed. However, soon enough, in the aisle, Sombre dropped down and fell back.

"Seems your familiar doesn't want to come," Pansy drawled.

"Probably he got stifled by the waves of heavy perfume you are wearing," Draco snapped back, and Pansy grit her teeth. Blaise looked at her in warning, to stop her from attacking just yet.

            The girls led Draco down to the dungeons. Sombre realised where. _They are going to use my route to the apparating point I would use. The dungeons were empty- no Potions class was taking place, as Dumbledore was absent- everyone was gathered outside with Hagrid, who had just returned from wherever it was he'd gone._

            They were in the potions classroom when Draco heard a small mew from behind- Sombre's signal.

"You know, Pansy- you really should not have entered Voldemort's service," Draco drawled. Pansy turned with a terrible scowl.

"Don't say his name with your filthy tongue, traitor!" she growled, forgetting herself. Blaise growled, rejoicing inside that Pansy had fallen for it.

"Idiot, Parkinson!"

Draco threw his arm forward and his wand came to his palm- another trick that Potter had taught them all- and he Stupefied both girls before Pansy had time to react. 

            With a small 'pop', Snape turned into his human form and grabbed a piece of paper and a quill. He scribbled a line.

"Read it, quickly now," he ordered. Draco looked at what Snape had written.

_The Headquarters of the Order of the __Phoenix__ may be found at number 12, __Grimmaud_ Place___, _London___._

Then the paper self combusted, and fell through Draco's fingers, in ashes. He blinked up.

"Only the secret keeper can tell you where it is- and that is where we are going. Hold on to my hand," Snape said and pulled Draco into his office, used the floo powder to his personal apparating point, and apparated into London.

            When Draco found the chance to speak again, he blinked.

"You are the Secret Keeper for the Order!?"

"Dead men tell no tales," Snape said wryly, and rang the bell so that Sirius Black would open up for them.

***

            When Dumbledore was back to the school, he was accompanied by Bill and Charley Weasley, who took the Inquisitors that in truth were illegal convicts or even death eaters. No student ever knew what happened of them, and where they would end up. Azkaban? Perhaps. But no vine on that piece of information grew, no matter the fertile ground. The rest of the Inquisitors, by order of the Minister's office, were withdrawn. Hogwarts was free again, without checkpoints, and teachers did not have to escort groups of children everywhere.

"It feels great, to be able to move around as we please again," Ron exclaimed with a wide grin on his face. He was still receiving congratulations by anyone who knew what had really happened with the Inquisitors. It wasn't many- only the Study Group, really, but still, they were the best student duellers around, and Ron was pleased. Hermione smiled happily as well.

"Yes! Now, I won't have to wait for curfew to go to the library- OWLs studying will be so much easier."

"You have covered all the material already, Hermione," Harry said with a small smile, hearing his friends chatter.

"Yes, but learning resides in recapitulation," Hermione said sagely. Ron couldn't help making choking sounds at that. Hermione smirked.

"Go on choke- but you will thank me when OWL results come!"

"I thank you anyway, Hermione," Ron said and winked.

"Well- it's great that it's all back to normal, somewhat," Hermione said, flushing lightly. Ron smiled. Harry frowned.

"It isn't really. We don't really know where Draco is. Of course he's probably safe, but Voldemort won't be happy."

"Blaise said they would all be okay- You-Know-Who can't spare any death eater," Hermione said, but she sounded unsure.

            And then, Harry brought his hand to his scar on his forehead and screamed, before crumpling on the floor, his cane rolling away from him.

***

            Narcissa Malfoy was not a happy wife. Or a good mother. In any way, she was nothing of what she should be- except a nice doll for Lucius to walk around with. At least that had been the case up until he got incarcerated. She watched him as he drunk his brandy, his eyes furious. Up to then, Narcissa hadn't really thought much about what her husband had been doing, how he had acquired his riches and with whom he affiliated to remain where he was. She hadn't even bothered to look into what her son was growing into- until last Christmas. She side-looked at Lucius again, who was leaning against the fireplace like a sinister spectre, waiting for the moment when his Lord would summon him, eager to go and kill the only thing that Narcissa had ever created in his world: her son. 

            Now, Narcissa feared her husband. She feared him, and he disgusted her. For whatever it was that Draco had done- even dishonouring the family- it did not deserve death, especially not in front of that- that Lord of his. _So terrible, and yet he is no better than a trained killer dog, she thought, and walked to the other side of the room, silently. She had not called her son for Easter, fearing for his life. She had not sent him any messages, fearing what he'd write back to her. For somehow, the way her son had looked at her the single time that she saw him- at St. Mungo's, where she'd gone to receive information regarding the attack casualties- had made her understand that he was changed. Now, she understood in what way. _Just what happened to the Blacks, not so long ago, it would seem. Hadn't Sirius denounced them with his actions, too?_ Narcissa felt glad about it, for some unfathomable reason. And her mind raced for a way to help her son. _

But none came, and then her husband hissed in delight, as his black mark called him for her son's execution. As soon as he was gone, she ran to the fireplace and threw in a pinch of floo.

"Dumbledore!"

***

            Voldemort was furious- Blaise and Pansy were already suffering from the pain of the Cruciatus, for they had failed. Lucius was mad with malice. How had his incompetent bafoon of a son managed to elude them? He never had been that good when Lucius had asked him to do things. He always messed up in some way, yet how was it possible that now, he realised the trap, and escaped so effectively? Lucius felt he'd go insane.

"Where is Draco Malfoy now?" Voldemort asked.

"We do not know, my Lord," Blaise said, and arched backwards, screaming.

"Then what use are you to me!?" the Dark Lord roared, letting up the curse. Pansy whimpered, and Blaise breathed, saying exactly what Snape had told her to say:

"Because we… we can lead you… to the base of the Order of… the Phoenix, my Lord. That is… were Draco must have… taken refuge…"

The rage washed away from the face of Voldemort, and he lowered his wand.

"I'm listening," he said in a purring, complacent voice.

***

            Harry moaned as he slowly regained consciousness, his mind reeling with the sense of sight, his body aching with the sensation of every single Cruciatus Voldemort cast that night. However, the pain did not ceace- the twisting of the senses did not diminish as it usually did. He arched backwards and groaned.

"What is going on?" he heard Remus' anxious voice.

"I am not sure," Poppy murmured back.

"Harry? Can you hear me? what's wrong?" Remus' voice, closer to his ear now.

Harry hissed in pain.

"Wont'… stop… can't stop… feel him… still… I HATE… it hurts so much…"

"I'm going to pick you up now, Harry," Remus said again, and harry felt himself being lifted into the air. He was glad, he wanted the proximity, and in the same time, it revolted him.

"Put me down, werewolf," Harry's voice snapped, then he whimpered again. "No! Remus, what is happening to me?" 

Remus swallowed, his heart racing in fear.

"We will find out now, Harry. Hold on in there," he said, and looked in the young Gryffindor's face. He frowned. The boy's scar was bright red, yet not bleeding- it seemed to be glowing. And when he would mutter in that hard, sinister voice that simply _could not be_ Harry's, his eyes seemed to focus- something that Remus had not seen Harry do every since the summer. He ran.

***

"Narcissa? What can I do for you?" Dumbledore said, a little impatient to close the connection, as he was about to gather up every member of the Order, including Snape, to tell them what Bagman had told him. 

"He is going to kill my boy! He is taking Draco to be killed, they have gathered up again. Do something Dumbledore, and I will give you anything, do anything, anything that you want me to in return!"

Dumbledore swallowed, looking Narcissa's face carefully. Never had she been seen so expressive, so anxious for anyone- not even Draco. Could he trust her now?

"I assure you that your son is safe. You have nothing to fear," Dumbledore said. 

"He was going to be taken from your school! Don't you get it? You have spies in your school!" she screeched in despair.

"Really, Narcissa. Trust me. Your son is alive, and well protected," Albus said soothingly. "You should really break the connection, before you are seen talking to me. You, I might not be as effective in protecting."

Narcissa breathed. "You are telling me the truth?"

"As always."

"Thank you… thank you headmaster. You have yourself another ally," she said and disappeared. Dumbledore smiled thinly, but the smile faded when Remus barged through the door, Harry in his hands.

"Something went wrong!" he panted, as he gently helped Harry in an armchair. Dumbledore peered into Harry's face. The boy shuddered and seemed to start a scream, as if his glance was painful to him, then Harry's expression shifted altogether, and he leered at him, in a way Dumbledore knew only too well.

"I'll take you apart," Harry cackled, and his laughter made Dumbledore's heart skip beats.

_______________________

*very evil smile* see? Things are NOW hairy. *Snape rolls his eyes* So, till next time, try and infer what is going to happen. *chuckles*

As for my reviewers:

To all that egged me on to update and said how much they are worked up by this story: THANK YOU! 

Now, for those with questions:

Skysong1: well… I am not sure. I am not too eager to shower the Study Group with immense magical capacities. I mean, they are only 15!

water drifter: I wonder what you'll do now, with THIS ending. *snickers*

Shinigami01: what good would it be if he got the boot _now_? *L* he needs to pay first.

Chantelli: Ginny acted out. She was pretty good, wasn't she?

Kemenran: If Draco faced Voldie? hm… wouldn't be good. And he'd probably get killed in the end, I think. He gets surprised easily- Harry is used to expecting the unexpected.

Shawn Pickett: I thought of giving a bit of Marauder déjà vu there. *grin*

PhoenixPadfoot89: well, how do we know if Dumbledore wasn't a prankster too, in his time? *chuckles*

Ms. Padfoot: You made Snape's day, talking to him instead of me. *chuckles*

ShortySC22: You may have a glimpse of what the plan is with this chapter.

Marauder3Moony: well… life catches up with you. I try to update as fast as possible.


	14. 14

*enters, Snape holding a goblet of steaming potion for her* drat. I'm sick AGAIN. It's an awful thing, the flu. Anyway, here I am updating, even though I could have called in sick. You know you love me. hehe.

So, lessee what happens now, eh?

Chapter 14 *hit play*

__________________________

            Sirius and Draco looked at each other, a little at a loss for what to do. Sirius licked his lips.

"Uh. Guess you're welcome to my house. It's almost completely clean of thingies."

"Thingies?" Draco tilted his head.

"Yeah- 'sept a boggart that just won't get the point. So be ready to cast Riddikulus whenever you see something scary, k?" Sirius said and led Draco to where he would stay.

"So this is the headquarters of the Order, huh?"

"For lack of anything else. Must say I am surprised anything good could come out of Lucius," Sirius said in his usual tact. Draco bit his lips and looked sideways.

"Well, technically, I'm also part of your bloodline, am I not?"

"My bloodline is not any better."

"If you extend that to my mother, I might start looking more like my father soon," Draco bristled. Sirius turned and looked at him, then laughed in that barkish way he had.

"No, don't worry. I know Narcissa is probably the reason you exist as you are, anyway. So, this is your room- enjoy."

Draco looked at the room- a typical old manor bedroom, with a large ornate bed and an armchair, large window and carpet on the floor. He nodded.

"Thanks… say um… what do I call you? Mr. Black?"

"Sirius will be enough," Sirius said and turned to go. Draco swallowed and looked around him again. 

"Sirius?"

The ex-convict turned around.

"D'you think Potter will come through again? That everything will be okay in the end?"

"All I know is that worrying about it isn't going to help any," Sirius said after a small thoughtful pause, and walked down the corridor to Buckbeak's room.

***

            Dumbledore's eyes darkened at what Harry had said. The boy arched backwards again in a painful moan, his hand stretched out to touch anything- anyone. Remus rushed forward to hold his hand, but Dumbledore held him back. 

"Help me," Harry whispered, and Albus let Remus hold his hand at that. He held Harry so that his head would be supported.

"What do you see?" Albus asked, and Remus looked at him incredulously.

"House… room full of… of my minions… I will hunt them down and kill them all… AAAARGH!" Harry arched backwards, and his tone changed again.

"Do not presume to touch me, you filth," he said in the sinister, metallic way that was not his, and from his hand came a bright flash and Remus flew to the opposite wall of Dumbledore's office. Harry cackled again.

"Fight it, Harry. You are stronger than him," Albus said, and Harry's eyes turned to _look_ at Dumbledore. A light crimson resonance glowed in the deep darkness on Harry's dilated pupils.

"No mere _boy is going to be my match, Dumbledore- how long did you think that I would let him peek without a price?" Harry leered and laughed again, all the while trying desperately to get away from Dumbledore's hold on the base of his head- but Albus held on and didn't let go._

"This is a mistake, Tom."

"On your part, old man! Get out of me! Eeeek!" Harry's voice shifted again to his usual, pained, scared one and his wholebody shuddered. A single crimson droplet of blood tricked down from his scar, and Harry panted.

"I can't keep him out, help me! He won't let me be, help me!" Harry whispered quickly, his eyes immobile again and staring straight ahead at nothingness. With his other hand, Albus caught Harry's flailing hand. He looked at Remus that was picking himself up.

"Call Sombre- as fast as you can- we won't get many chances at this," Albus ordered, and Remus ran out of the office. Albus turned to Harry.

"Harry- I need you to be strong now. Pick one memory that is dear to you and is not shared with Tom. Hold onto it fast, and I will help you throw him out."

"Don't let him take over me again… it is painful… just… do something," Harry breathed.

"Harry. It is very important that you… help me first," he said, cringing at having to ask so much of Harry. 

"Don't fight him- instead, let him speak. When it is too much for you, I will know, and I will protect you. Can you do this for me Harry? I will only do this if you say yes," he said gently, and Harry breathed, sweaty all over, then nodded quickly.

"Hold on to one memory that is yours, and yours only!" Albus ordered. Harry arched backwards again with a deep gasp, and when he relaxed, his face had lost his inherent goodness and taken on the sinister look of a serial killer.

"Had your chat with the brat, old man?" he cackled again.

"Tom- I tell you again. This situation is only going to harm you. You will gain nothing from it," Albus advised gently, fully aware that Voldemort would do exactly the opposite.

***

            Remus ran to the dungeons like a lunatic, weaving his way in and around students that stared at him in question.

"Sombre! Sombre where are you!?"

"Professor, I think Sombre went with Draco somewhere," a Slytherin girl informed him. Remus bit his lip and went in the potions classroom. In Snape's office, he looked around.

"Damn it, of all the times to be late returning!"

At that point, the fireplace fire flared up and the cat walked in the room, tail high up in the air. Remus grabbed the unsuspecting Burmese and ran again, unconcerned by the hisses and protests from the feline animagus.

***

            Albus held Harry at the base of his head, but the hand disentangled from his own. Harry no longer groped for anything- he was using his eyes again, and they bore deep in Albus'.

"Let go- I have claimed the boy," he ordered.

"Tom, I simply can't do that. And it's just not right to invade other peoples' bodies," Albus said in an amiable tone, although his eyes were hard and unyielding, like a warrior's. Harry cackled again, and he pointed his hand at the wizard.

"The boy has an interesting gift," he said with a poisonous smile.

"The boy has many gifts, Tom," Albus agreed, but planted his feet on the floor.

"Most of which he took from me! He stole, and he should be punished!"

"He was punished enough, Tom, don't you think?"

            The door opened and Remus rushed in with the cat. Sombre hopped down and came close to Harry.

"Tell that filth to leave the room before I blast him to pieces," Harry ordered.

"Now, Tom, there is no need to be vulgar," Albus persisted in that tone that he knew would wind up the Dark Lord to dangerous levels. Indeed, Harry's expression shifted, and the boy arched backwards again, and screamed horribly. It was Harry's cry, and Harry's voice that managed to be heard before Voldemort took over again.

"He will end it!"

            Sombre bristled, ears flat, but he didn't shift- he knew he shouldn't. Harry went slack again on the armchair, Dumbledore's hand still holding him securely. His eyes shifted here and there, then he made a horrible expression. Albus shut his eyes and seemed to assert his will, or cast some spell, because Harry went into spasms in a desperate attempt to be freed from the touch of the eldest wizard in the room. Remus pushed the boy back in the chair as Dumbledore was struggling with him.

"You will not turn this against me! I will take him with me if you will not give him up!" he slurred, his lilt alien, pulling the s', almost hissing. "Noooo!" he screamed again, and then the crimson residue became a flame in his dilated pupils, and he started hissing. Sombre came closer, hearing the Parseltongue, which was making Remus shiver, as Albus still held his eyes shut and continued to do whatever it was he was doing.

            Then, it was all over in a bright flash of light that sent everyone sprawling back, and Harry was left, all alone, limp over the armchair, his eyes half open and unmoving, his breathing shallow. Remus was the one to get up first.

"Harry?" he called in fear.

"Its… me," Harry said weakly, before coughing. Snape shifted to his humanform immediately to help the werewolf, and Albus called Fawkes to him. A rivulet of blood trickled down the side of Harry's mouth.

"Potter- stay with us for a second," Snape ordered, quickly going through the motions of keeping someone in consciousness, taking in signs so that he could choose the proper potion.

"…think… I can't… he's… killed me," Harry said weakly before going completely slack and immobile.

***

            Pansy was anxious, as they returned achingly back to Hogwarts in time for dinner.

"Just how are we going to follow Malfoy to wherever it is he's gone to hide? The Dark Lord will kill us for sure if we fail, and it'll be your fault!" she whined. Blaise was in too foul a mood for interacting with Pansy.

"It's your fault he escaped in the first place, Parkinson. So don't yap my head dizzy with your fears. I'll take care of it- you go make sure Crabbe and Goyle don't talk about the meeting. Keep their mouths full," she said dryly and walked away from Pansy before she had a chance to object. Pansy grit her teeth. It annoyed her how Blaise had all of a sudden become the leader when only last year she had been close to invisible. She hexed the first first-year hufflepuff that came her way to vent, and still she wasn't satisfied.

***

            Ron and Hermione sneaked into the infirmary after dinner. They crept up to Harry's bed and looked at their friend that was sleeping under the effect of potions. At least they hoped that the chilling stillness that Harry had, and the soft, faint breathing was because of some potion.

"Do you reckon he'll be fine?" Ron whispered, biting his lip as he took in the pale skin, the shut, hollow eyes, the nimble hands that now lay still, the fingers limp and useless.

"Harry always recovers… he will be fine. He has to be," Hermione said, although she felt uneasy. It was many times that Harry had landed in the infirmary, not few of which were because of his visions- but this one seemed to have been different. Professor Lupin had not taken Harry to the infirmary- he had taken him to the Headmaster's office, and there they stayed for almost a full hour. Then, as if on cue, Professor McGonagall had caught them lurking near the gargoyle and insisted that they go away- they and every other student that happened to be at the premises. As if they didn't want anyone to see what would emerge. They had left, but they had returned almost immediately under one of the invisibility cloaks that Harry had provided the Study Group with.

Neither Ron nor Hermione had ever seen Harry's form so limp, or his scar bleeding, or Professor Dumbledore so worried and in a rush.

"What do you suppose happened?"

"He had a vision, I guess," Hermione sighed, stroking the back of Harry's hand that was resting on the coverlet. It was cold and clammy. She shivered.

"He only needs a potion or two to recover from a vision. I'm scared, Hermione."

"So am I," Hermione said softly. A pop was heard.

"He will live," came a low voice from the shadows at the corner, and Harry's friends jumped, startled. Snape emerged from them, leaning forward on the chair. He looked tired himself. The two Gryffindors stared at him, unsure of what to say. Snape clicked his tongue and said impatiently.

"Go to your dormitories. Madame Pomfrey will be back soon, and she knows quite well the sound of the shifting of animagi. Mr. Potter will probably join you tomorrow."

            For lack of a better reaction, Ron and Hermione walked out of the infirmary, covering themselves with the invisibility cloak. Snape turned to look at the ailing teenager that was laid out in front of him.

"You'd better not make a liar out of me, Potter," he murmured softly, and shifted back into Sombre, to continue his vigil, just like Harry had done so many times when the positions had been reversed.

***

            It was at least two hours before breakfast that Albus called Professor Lupin and Professor Snape to meet up with him. Sirius was already there, looking haggard. He had just learnt the news about Harry.

"How is he?" he asked Snape as soon as he entered. Contrary to usual reactions, Snape didn't reply with a scathing remark. Instead he evenly said:

"He woke up for a few moments today. I think by noon we will be up and about, but he is very weak."

Contrary to usual reactions, Sirius didn't flare up- he only nodded and looked down at his hands. Albus stood, to call everyone's attention.

"I dare say Fawkes will relinquish as many tears as are needed- Harry will be strong soon enough."

"Another vision like that, and he might die!" Remus voiced everyone's worry.

"Well, the reason I called you here is so that we act before another vision happens. However, to have a safeguard, I would like it that young Harry learns how to shut his mind off to influence. I dare say you can teach him as well as you did Miss Zabini, Severus."

Snape only nodded once.

"Now, the reason I called you, is because I have news from the Ministry."

Everyone scowled.

"Minister Bagman told me what went on, and he is willing to help with the situation in return for his… physical and mental safety."

"I dare say he would," Sirius scoffed.

"Mr. Bagman had his debt to the goblins paid off by Mr. McNair who was in essence, the one that made sure Lucius Malfoy did not get the Demetor's Kiss. He turned the Minister into a puppet by threatening him with the goblins. Lucius was allowed, actually, to escape from Azkaban, and in the same way, he received orders about what to do regarding Hogwarts, and us."

"Slimeball!" Sirius commented again.

"We can do without the commentary, Black," Snape snapped, irritated.

"It's complementary," Sirius snapped back.

"In any case, he is willing to report to his… correspondants, whatever we want. Tom is certain to act quickly now that the Inquisitors are gone. Miss Zabini has told him that the Headquarters can be found. I think therefore, that it would be prudent to have the Minister corroborate whatever Miss Zabini says," Dumbledore said, and the others nodded.

"Severus, we will need your skill again. I am certain that now the Fidelius Charm can be broken on the potion of the letter that killed minister Fudge," Albus turned to Snape.

"Yes, Headmaster. However, we must be careful or the Secret Keeper might feel it- and Bellatrix Lestrange is not to be fooled with."

"I'll second that," Sirius said with a little disgusted look.

"I doubt she will if she's occupied with something else though," Remus said thoughfully. 

"Like what?" Sirius asked.

"Like trying to fight and inactivate another Potion that is governed by will. I will make it, and make sure she gets it," Snape said, his eyes flashing with the prospect of returning Bella's favour.

***

            Harry woke up, sounds becoming sharper exponentially, until he was fully conscious again. He fingered around, and felt the coverlets. _The infirmary.__ How long have I been here?_ He sat up a little on one elbow, but dizziness overtook him and he fell back.

"No no no, don't you get up just yet- drink this first," he heard the hurried shuffling of Poppy's feet and felt her caring touch tilt his head forward and have him drink what tasted like mint with CO2. The energy of the frothy potion spread in his body almost as soon as he'd swallowed it.

"How are you feeling, Harry?" he heard Madam Pomfrey ask.

"I'm better," Harry said. "May I leave?"

"No, you may not. You are far too weak. But you may have visitors- I expect they will drop in on you in five minutes- the first period ends then, you see," Madame Pomfrey said and tucked Harry in again. Harry breathed, enjoying the fact that his mind was free, and that he could relax in the safety of the darkness of sightlessness, that protected him from images of peril and despair and horror. He felt the light paws of a cat hop onto his bed and he smiled.

"Hello, Professor," he whispered so that Poppy wouldn't hear. He felt the silky fur of Sombre's tail against his fingers, and how the cat rubbed its whole body length once, to show appreciation that the young Gryffindor had woken. Harry thought he could hear a faint purr, but he doubted the Professor would purr audibly again, now that Harry knew who Sombre really was. He smiled thinly again, his hand on Sombre's back as if that gave him security. 

"I'm back," he said with relief, and hoped that he would never fight Voldemort over his own mind ever again.

____________________

Ah, wishful thinking… never hurts, does it? *s* There. One chapter with no cliffhanger. Unless you were expecting to hear what Snape heard in Harry's Parseltongue. *snickers, Snape forces the Pepper Up down her throat*

As for my reviewers:

Thranx: well… a possessed Harry is a change. *smirks* And yes, I guess you can't avoid Snape and Harry chemistry. *chuckles*

Shinigami061: well, at least you have a better idea of what happened, right? Hope you liked this chapter. Had a lot of Order Planning in it.

water drifter: See? I'm not that bad. No cliffie now. Okay? *L*

Kendaa: I am glad you appreciate, and glad you like. Hope this chapter was of the same standard.

Chibi Gyouza: You flatter me! As for Harry being controlled… well he's not a very controllable kid, is he? Of course, Voldemort is not gonna give up his hobby, that I can affirm. As for the rest, can't give away the answers yet!

JaimynsFire: You SURE you wanna kidnap Snape? *L* He might not want to leave.

Skysong1: It's what Snape knows how to do best, to be depressed! *l*

star*dust: here, a cliff-less chapter.

Chantelli: a trap? A trap is in the eye of the beholder. *snickers*

Love Childe: here! How did you think of the 'what happened next'? *s*

Rilaisseth: what's D,R,L,EOTMN?

mickeymoose: Nah, don't be. *Snape glares* okay, a little scared is normal. *L*

Lady Lightning: Good question!

Marauder3Moony: Here you go! All updated.

Maximum Poofy-Pissed Off Queen: Um… it's kinda hard to update that fast with a cold and midterms…

Kemenran: She just wanted some of the spotlight is all, hehe. We will see.

Kateri1: hope the creepiness receeded?


	15. 15

Hello everyone! *pops into view along with Snape* he grew tired of the muggle way of entering so… *Snape rolls his eyes and goes for the brandy tumbler again* It's all so winterish again!! *sprawls in front of the fireplace* theright setting for telling stories, isn't it?

Anyhow, let's see what happens this time, shall we?

Chapter 15, *hit play*

_________________________

Voldemort paced in his great stone room. It was devoid of Death Eaters. Only Nagini was present, and she was currently napping. There was no reason to keep up a façade now. There was not reason to pretend he didn't worry. And Voldemort was very worried. He had felt the dratted boy, that Harry Potter infringe on his very own mind, just as he was about to learn about the Headquarters. He had dismissed everyone then, to be called later, and had seized the chance at controlling the very reason for his repeated failures.

But had it been at all beneficial?

            Voldemort couldn't, in all truth, say for sure. First off, Dumbledore wouldn't let him get complete control. Second off, the damn boy had far too strong a will. Voldemort was certain that Imperio wouldn't be very effective on the Gryffindor, not for long, anyway. Third off, he didn't remember the last three or four seconds, while he was struggling to either possess the boy completely or kill him otherwise. He wasn't certain if Harry Potter was still alive, or whether he was finally, irrevocably, dead. Still, he would learn soon enough. Zabini would inform him, along with all the details about the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. 

Nothing would please Voldemort more than destroying everything Albus Dumbledore had fought to create, and watch the old dotard's expression then. How he hated that abominable twinkle of his eyes! How he hated that he was the one person that was never taken in, that was never fooled even by his best of ploys! Voldemort grit his teeth, his crimson eyes flashing madly. If the blasted boy was not dead, then the next time they connected he would finish the job.

***

"Harry, you are awake! You're better!" Hermione cried happily and virtually flung herself on Harry's bed, stifling the Gryffindor prefect. Not that Harry minded. he felt Ron's weight on the other side of the bed as he sat. Then came the sound of a box opening, and the faint smell of chocolate.

"We figured we'd bring the sweets for when you are awake, as it does little good while you're out cold- that and they tend to get eaten before you wake," Ron's voice was bouncing with relief and joy. Harry chuckled and reached out. The cool, smooth surface of the frog was place in his hand, but Harry grabbed that wrist with his other, free hand quickly and pulled Ron into a group trio hug.

"I am so glad to have you back, to be here with you!" Harry exclaimed with such a great relief that it surprised Ron and Hermione. There was a pause, while Harry ate part of the frog. Ron and Hermione glanced nervously between themselves, and Ron nodded encouragingly.

"Harry…" Hermione started, then paused again. She saw her friend turn his face towards her, as always with his immobile, bright glance slightly off target. He looked so happy and open. Should she ask?

"You are not talking Hermione. Is your face puzzled or embarrassed?" Harry asked. Hermione swallowed and bit her lip. Ron came to her aid.

"It's worried, mate. We both are. Do you know how much you have been down under?"

"How much?" Harry asked, his expression slightly clouding. There was no doubt what his friends were trying to learn and were afraid to ask. Harry wasn't sure if he could answer.

"Two whole days, Harry. And Professor- I mean, Sombre, he has been here, watching over you for the whole while!" Hermione said as if that proved a lot. Harry was impressed, because it did, actually. If Snape had been keeping an eye on him, then he surely had been very ill. 

"Harry…" Hermione asked gently. Harry frowned, waiting for it.

"Why was this vision different than the others?" she whispered, and Harry swallowed. He really didn't want to talk about it. What would he say, anyway? That Voldemort had possessed his mind? That he had had no recollection of the last few seconds, except an acute awareness that his body was shutting down? _How more freakish am I going to become_? he thought as he pursed his lips.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, Harry," Hermione said quickly, seeing her friend's face darken.

"But you have to know that nothing will ever keep us from being there for you, Harry," Ron said, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry flinched and took in his breath shakily. It was so touching a pledge of friendship, that Harry trembled in the fear of losing it.

"If I tell you, you will fear me," he whispered. There was a pause again, that forbade him to know what his friends were thinking, as he couldn't see their faces. Then Ron's voice was heard, quiet, almost threshold, so that Harry would be able to hear, but nobody else.

"We… know that You-Know-Who did something to you… Hermione thinks it was against your mind. We are still here, and we don't fear you."

"He possessed me," Harry blurted out, and he was glad that he couldn't see his friends' expressions. He heard them suck in their breaths in horror, and then more silence. Hermione exhaled first, methodically, slowly. _She is trying to regain composure before I hear her voice, he thought. Suddenly, he felt incomplete._

"Where is Sasha?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"I am here, masssster," came the slurring voice of his familiar, from where he calculated the edge of the bed to be. He fingered there, and he felt the cool band that was the snake's body. She slithered around his wrist, over the taut tawn glove and stayed there snugly again.

"I missed you," Harry hissed to her, ignoring Ron and Hermione, escaping from them for the little while he was talking to Sasha. "Where have you been?"

"Rat hunting weekend massster… don't you remember?"

In all accounts, Harry didn't remember much about letting Sasha go over the weekend. But he was glad Sasha was back again, snug around his wrist, and he stroked the triangular head.

"Harry?"

Harry swallowed at the sound of Hermione's voice. It was time to face his friends.

"You can say it. you can say that I am a menace and I am dangerous and I should be Obliviated of everything I know before Voldemort manages to know of it through my mind. You can say that I am a crazy f-"

"That's not what I meant to say at all!" Hermione protested, and Ron said:

"We'd never tell you that, man!"

Harry breathed, and listened at the agitated breathing of his friends. Then, Ron's voice reached his ears, shaky and throaty with emotion that Harry knew couldn't but be true:

"Harry, it has been a long, long time since the Goblet of Fire picked you, and I was stupid enough to accuse you. I have grown… more than you might credit me… and I know that you would die, than let that git of a Dark Lord stay in you."

Ron's voice faltered, and Harry felt his own tears roll down his eyes. Hermione's hands touched his, soothingly, as her voice was heard, soft and heavy with emotion:

"We only asked… because we want to be there for you, like you have been here for us. You are part of us, Harry… I wish… I wish you could believe that…"

Harry bit his lip and raised his hand where he heard her voice to be coming from. He touched a hot cheek, and a warm wetness. He shut his eyes, to relieve them of his own tears.

"Don't cry for me," he whispered. "I'm still here."

***

            Sirius frowned suspiciously at the sweet smelling concoction that Snape was stirring meticulously, in a cauldron in the study of the Headquarters of the Order.

"This smells nice," he told Snape, as if accusing him.

"Your point?" Snape muttered as he dropped the mirkwood powder in the potion.

"You have never brewed anything that didn't smell at least like a sewer."

"There's a first time for everything," muttered Snape dismissively, not taking Sirius' bait like he would have normally.

"And what unfortunate soul is this thing destined to? I do hope it's not a love potion."

"It is not as crude as that, Black; and it's for Bella."

"Bellatrix Lestrange!" Sirius' eyes got that dangerous gleam that usually would make James grin excitedly and Remus shudder in horror.

"You can recall names, good for you. Now stop stooping over my potion, unless you want the fumes to make your already deranged mind even more hazardous to the environment," Snape snapped at him and Sirius pulled back, knowing not to cross a warning of Snape's regarding potions, even if it was in a scathing manner.

"So what can it do?" he said after some pause, watching Snape measure some gooey thing out.

"It _could make you shut up," Snape growled, his eyes fixed on the beaker._

"Aw, Sevvie, you are breaking my heart," Sirius smirked. Then after again a little pause, as Snape didn't seem to be putting in anything more, he asked again. "So after you make it, how are you going to plant it under Bella's nose without her realising the danger?"

"I am not. I am giving it to Dumbledore. He said he has that angle covered."

***

            Narcissa walked through the hearth in Dumbledore's fire, and shuddered, looking around the circular office. It reminded her of her childhood so very much.

"How is Draco, Headmaster?" she asked as soon as she was out of the fire.

"Do have a seat, Narcissa. Tea?"

Narcissa nodded and received a cup and saucer. It tinkled incessantly in her hands.

"Draco?"

"Not to worry. He is safe, off Hogwarts grounds. In fact, he is in the safest place he could be. Your husband can't find him there."

"I hope so," Narcissa said and swallowed her tea. It burned her tongue. Dumbledore sat behind his office and gave her some time. Then he cleared his throat to get the blonde woman's attention.

"Narcissa, I have called you because I need your help. I need you to do something. It won't endanger you-"

"I am not interested in the risks. What do you want me to do?" Narcissa interjected. Dumbledore smiled kindly at her and his eyes twinkled.

"I only need you to make sure Bellatrix Lestrange ingests a good amount of this," he said and handed her a bright purple vial with a sweet smelling liquid inside. Narcissa swallowed and nodded quickly. She would do anything to help the side that was protecting her son be able to keep protecting him. Dumbledore smiled.

"It would be beneficial if Bellatrix could have the rest of the potion available for her perusal," he said amiably, as if he was planning surprise gifts with his family.

***

            Harry couldn't understand why he wasn't allowed out of the infirmary. Snape hadn't showed for the whole day, and he was feeling fine. Yet Madam Pomfrey would have none of it. She even threatened to strap him on the bed with sticking charms, if he refused to obey her orders this time.

Yet, Harry was willing to call her bluff, if it meant getting out of there. He petted Sasha and asked her in Parseltongue:

"Anyone around, Sasha?"

"No, Harry," the snake replied after looking around carefully. The infirmary was empty for the time being. Harry called his walking cane to him, and his wand. He felt suddenly dizzy, his breath catching in his chest as if he had ran up a hill. He swallowed and didn't call anything else to him, not wanting to press his luck. He swung his feet over the bed and got up shakily on his feet. 

            It was as if he had just had a ton saddled on his shoulders. His legs trembled with the strain, he coughed. On his hand he felt the sticky wetness, he smelt the acrid taste. _Perhaps I was not as strong as I thought, was his last thought as he sank onto the floor._

***

            He was painfully aware of someone opening his mouth and pouring something scalding inside. He gagged, but he was not allowed to spit. He swallowed the potion, but he was certain that some of it went the wrong way down. And then, as if someone had turned on a switch, sounds and voices and noise was all painfully crisp and clear to him.

"He's responding!"

"Of course he's responding- he gagged and moaned, use your ears, wolf!"

"There is no need for chides, Severus."

"I think he is listening to us now."

"Potter. Enough eavesdropping. We have things to discuss," Snape's voice commanded and Harry tested his voice:

"Ugh…"

"There, he can speak, almost as well as he does in class. Will you –now- release him?"

Harry felt that he was being held in someone's lap, almost cradled, despite the fact that he was now fifteen and a half, and not nearly as small as earlier in the year. The smell and the feel of the clothes told him it was Remus Lupin that was holding him so gently. And he was about to release him onto the bed that he hated so much.

"Please… don't let go," Harry managed to croak. Instantly he was snugly back in the DADA professor's arms.

"Harry… I know sometimes Poppy can be overprotective, but when she threatens with the stick charms, then it's prudent to heed her," Dumbledore's voice had a bounce, as if all this was a joke, but Harry's body was painfully corroborating Dumbledore's words. _How could I have not felt the extent of my body's weakness?_ he wondered idly as he smiled thinly at the Headmaster's words.

"I will from now on, Professor," he said quietly.

"We don't have much time, Potter, until Pomfrey starts wondering why there is a ward on her infirmary's door. The reason we are _all here is because at least __someone felt that you should hear what I have to say," was heard Snape's voice in the usual rude tones, but without the bite. Harry was certain that, although the Professor would deny it vehemently, he too had wanted him to hear whatever it was. He heard Dumbledore clear his throat, and everyone was silent. _

"Harry, I am certain you recall most of what happened during your last vision," Dumbledore started.

"I thought I was going to hear Professor Snape, not talk," Harry said before he could coat his thoughts with adequate respect. 

"You will, Harry. But first I think you will understand the situation better if you understand all the circumstances. Now. If I am not mistaken, there must be some little fraction of time towards the end of the vision that you cannot recall at all. Am I right?"

            Harry's breath caught as his skin crawled. He dreaded those few seconds that he could not account for. He just had no way of knowing what had gone on. Anything could have happened; any spell took fractions of a second to cast. he had had plenty of those. Had Voldemort used him in some way? He felt Remus hold him more securely. 'Don't worry, Harry. It's all safe,' the werewolf whispered in his ear. Harry tried to ease the strain in his chest.

"Potter, for pity's sake don't work yourself up to panic attacks- we have just finished resuscitating you," Snape admonished again. Dumbledore spoke quickly, and his words soothed Harry enough to breathe normally again.

"The reason you do not recall those few seconds is because I casted a rather powerful spell on your mind, while Tom's was closely linked to it. In essence, what I wanted to achieve was to have Tom reveal the way his plans were going. A sneak peek in the enemy field, if you like. Of course, just like your mind is reluctant to subliminals, so is Voldemort's. So while part of his thoughts were forced out, he spoke them in Parseltongue. He is, I believe, aware that I cannot speak it."

"But Professor, I don't remember what I said during those seconds at all. And I didn't have Sasha with me then, even if she did remember everything," Harry said, confused.

"Fortunately we don't have to rely on your mnemonics, Potter. I was there, and I heard everything. And as you recall, while I cannot speak Parseltongue, I can understand it," Snape said.

"Therefore, I asked Severus to wait to tell us what he heard in front of you. I think you contributed far too much to be left out of this knowledge," Albus said, and Harry could imagine the smile. There was a pause again.

"Severus, I think that's your cue," Remus said with a small smile, holding Harry comfortably, offering him the human contact that the boy was needing to remain relaxed and resting.

***

            Narcissa Malfoy returned with the small vial to her house. Her mind was racing for a plausible way to have Bellatrix drink any of it. No matter how she approached the subject, she couldn't imagine Bella willingly drinking out of any suspicious looking vial, even if it was coming from her, Death Eater Malfoy's wife. Especially now that Draco had gone missing. Then, an idea entered her mind. She would do exactly as he husband had done a few years ago regarding Harry Potter. She summoned a house elf.

"Sooty, take this to Bellatrix Lestrange. Make sure she swallows some, and leave the rest of the vial there. Don't be seen."

"Sooty is doing as Mistress is wanting," Sooty said and disappeared with a crack. Narcissa smiled. Sooty wouldn't have trouble entering the Lestrange place- he went there daily, as a messenger of her husband's who was hiding in their large manor. And she knew that Sooty was as loyal to her as any ally could be. He could do the job, and do it effectively.

***

            Bellatrix Lestrange smiled, watching the dark black, semi-viscous liquid slowly drop into the large flask that she was about to cork. It was her latest creation, to deliver at once to her Lord. It was a very new thing, that she was certain Aurors would not see coming. Her Lord would need that when they tore down the Order of the Phoenix. The potion would instantly explode with the force of ten muggle grenades when its vial was thrown to a target. Anyone that was nearby would be killed or maimed. She felt proud, even if she had not been the inventor of the basis for this. _Ah, Severus, if only you hadn't turned sour, you would have been great. All the better for me- I'll harvest your rotting  flesh  as a Dark Potion ingredient in a year. I bet you'd love that. _

            She didn't notice the small vial floating in behind her, waiting for the best time, as she meticulously corked three more flasks of the black potion, making sure to add her signature to the prototype. She could imagine the looks on the Aurors' faces when a spree of exploding bottles took them down from afar. She threw her head back and laughed, in a typical cackle of a witch hag.

Only for it to be quenched in a gurgle as she involuntarily swallowed something bittersweet. The vial re-corked itself. Bellatrix moaned and dropped on the floor, the room changing colours, her ears booming with voices she knew she can't be really hearing. The vial dropped on her lap, and she grasped it with trembling hands. She peered at it, but it was impossible to even see the right colour of it, with all the dizzying, caleidoscopic vision that the potion's magic influence was giving her. __

**Delusions, my dear Bella… how do you like mind controlling potions? Let us see get your way out of this one, _Bella! _**a voice from the dead laughed in her ears, and she whimpered, cupping them. Her eyes flashed in anger as she teetered upwards, pulling herself up despite the fact that she perceived the room melting around her. 

"I won't be had by a prank potion!" she screamed, but to her ears, she only heard the squeaky sounds of the traditional lab guinea pig.

It was going to be a hard way out of _that_ maze.

_______________________

And that's it! Not REALLY a cliffhanger tonight either, is it? *pulls chestnuts out of the fire, Snape turns his nose up at them* Bah. He'll have them when they are cool enough, I'm sure.

As for my reviewers:

Lynda: Here you go, update! And Snape is trying hard, VERY hard, not to allow himself to be mollified. But it's hard, when he's up against the wizarding world's greatest sweetheart. hehe.

JaimynsFire: *unloads millions of Snapes on you, like the Smiths of the Matrix* so that you can plague anyone you want with 'em. They are very vengeful ;) *hug hug*

Trinka: I will check them out asap! It would be easier if you sent them over e-mail, though.

ChibiGyouza: I am sure it is the worst violation one can have… *shudders* Snape is trying NOT to melt his cold innards… we'll see how much he succeeds. *glare from Snape* And Voldie will certainly not forget to try that again, even if he can't. *L* And I am over my flu!

Dark Queen of Roses: because I have to revise my own book, and it's like, 300 pages already, and will probably end up three times as big when I am done. And I haven't touched it yet, because I don't have free time. So when I finish this one, I'm done with Harry. He taught me a lot, but I got my own characters to cater to.

mickeymoose: I guess that if he got a break, readers wouldn't feel like reading about him, would they? *that's the slytherin part of the Gryfferin speaking*

water drifter: awwww. You know you like the rush tho.

Skysong1: hmmm… could it have slipped her tongue? *deadly glare from Snape8 guess not. *L*

Rilaisseth: I am better, thanks! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

LoveChilde: you were _not dangling_! I deny it that you dangled in chapter 14! *nods fervently*

Maximum Poofy Pissed Off Queen: Bah. He already has a body now. But he might try to run away with other things than that. hehe.

Viskii: Harry always overestimates his strength, doesn't he? And we will see about Draco and HQ… hehe

Shawn Pickett: Snape really wants to do a number on Bella. I hope this shows even from this chapter.

Ms. Padfoot: *g* thanks! Ask and you shall receive… hehe.

Shinigami061: Well, they have their good days and their bad days. And Snape has his rep to upkeep, and he's afraid he might sound far too soft and stuff towards a _Potter_, mind you. Heh.

Lady Lightning: Well, at the time he was a cat, and cats tend to rub against hands or legs anyway. And as Snape was truly very relieved to see Harry sentient again, I guess that one gesture escaped him. See? he's trying to make up for it today. ;)

WolfMoon: Well you got the start of the whole 'let's torture Bella, yeah yeah yeah' song. *snickers madly*

Marauder3Moony: he's not half done yet. Don't wave flags just yet. hehe.

Kemenran: it was Albus-induced, I assure you. Sirius did, however, appreciate the fact that Draco has Lucky and his buddies after him. As for Bagman being a puppet, I think everyone knew. The thing was how to corner him into accepting it openly and conforming to the Order's wishes. Now, the pawns are set, and the pieces will move. *snickers*


	16. 16

Hello people. *Snape actually nods his greetings this time* He's remarkably civil tonight. People better watch what exists in their goblets… heh.

Okay, as many of you noticed, the pawns are all set. We now enter the final part of this story. I was wondering though, and I would like your opinion. Should I bring Voldie down with the end of this story, or let him off again? This _is_ going to be my last story, so I won't make any more sequels. It is up to you: Closure, or escape? I await your views on the subject.

Okay, Chapter 16 *hit play*

________________________

"What was said, verbatim, is the following: 'Attack piece meal, use the boy. He kept slurring Potter's name. Then, there was the curse that nearly killed Potter, that took up the rest of the talk," Snape said evenly as if dictating the ingredients of a recipe. Remus sighed.

"That isn't much news- we all know the gist of Voldemort's goals."

"No, I think that we actually got a good heads up," Dumbledore said cheerfully.

"He wants to use me, possess me again, doesn't he?" Harry muttered, toying with the edge of his glove. Sasha caressed his fingers whenever they brushed past her head.

"We will not let it happen. Professor Snape will help you fight intrusions in the same way that he did to Miss Zabini. We don't have time for proper instruction. I dare say in your case it will be easier to handle," Dumbledore said as he got up.

"Because I'm blind," Harry shook his head a little ironically, remembering a past conversation he had had with the Potions Master.

"Needless to say the only place that I can train you is the Room of Requirement, and it will have to be early in the morning, Potter," Snape said quickly, and Harry nodded.

"Poppy will return any moment now," Remus reminded them all, and Snape immediately shifted into Sombre. The wards to the infirmary were pulled down and the professors left. There was much to do, in a rather little time. Harry heard Remus walk up to the approaching steps of the school matron, and low murmuring occurred. There was the usually huffing of objection from Poppy, then Harry heard her approach.

"It seems that you can't be kept on a bed long enough, mr. Potter, even if you don't play Quidditch anymore. Here, drink this," she said cuttingly and put a goblet in Harry's hands. Harry drank it all- it was tasteless and cool like water. Pomfrey took the empty goblet from his hands and handed Harry his wand and clothes.

"You can leave, dismissed. BUT- don't look so happy just yet. You are to come here three times a day for the potion you just drunk, or you will end up here and there is no one, not even Merlin himself that will be able to get you out of here again. Am I understood?"

"Crystal, Madame Pomfrey," Harry smiled, speaking in his low, quiet tones again. Soon enough he was out of the infirmary, tapping his way around with his cane towards the care of magical creatures class. Hermione had told him that today would be especially interesting.

***

            Bellatrix was desperate. The potion that was working in her was showing no notion of fading, and it was clouding her mind while still letting her know what was happening. Frankly, it seemed to her as if she was being slowly deprived of proper senses. Her vision was not to be trusted: she was seeing things with odd colours, wiffs of presences that just couldn't be there, the lighting in the room kept shifting from very bright to almost dark. Her hearing was, too, faulty: she couldn't be rid of that damnable voice that was laughing in her mind- a voice of a dead man that was, in all accounts, both angering her and giving her the creeps.

"What is it, Severus, back from the dead only to play pranks on me!?" she screamed as she teetered here and there in the room, trying to look through her ingredients and ready-made potions to stall the effects of the potion. The cackle in her ears boomed. _Bella, Bella, Bella… always thinking superficially.__ I should have expected it, with the husband you chose, the voice chided and laughed again. The laughter was making her dizzy. She blinked many times, and replied scathingly, like a madman to his voices:_

"Oh _right, I should have chosen the social misfit instead, and be cooped up in a 3 by 4 room making potions. Is this about dumping you Sevvie? Was that really __that traumatic?"_

_Bella, if I really was traumatized, I wouldn't use a prank potion on you 16 years later- I'd use a poison then.__ You really are making all the wrong connections, Snape's voice echoed in her mind, making it difficult to follow the whole sentence immediately. She was very close to using a curse on herself to just make it all stop. She peered through the haze and multicoloured kaleidoscope and saw a vial of potion that helped clear the mind of influences. She reached for it, but she was seeing double, and so the bottle toppled and fell on the floor, smashing. More cackling in her head, and she started to feel desperate. She had another dose of that vial, but it was in the cupboard on the other side of the room. _

She tried walking, but her legs didn't know how to calculate the steps on a floor that she perceived was rippling. She fell over her own footsteps, and cursed. She went on all fours instead, and started heading there. This was going to take some time.

***

            Snape's head was leaning back in the armchair in Dumbledore's office, his hands limp on the armrests, his eyes closed in concentration. Remus and Sirius entered with the glass container of the letter that had killed Fudge. Dumbledore nodded to them. 

"The secret keeper is duly occupied. Severus is already in mind link with her, but I would advise you to be quick enough- We don't know how she will react."

"Yes, Headmaster," Sirius said and opened the lid of the glass box. Remus took out his wand and Sirius smiled, his eyes twinkling dangerously.

"Let's find out where the snakes hope up, then," he said and with Remus, the powerful cast to break the Fidelius Charm hit the envelope in the box full tilt.

***

            Bella had reached the cupboard and had managed to get the vial securely in her hands, when a power that was shearing, white hot in pain went through her mind, searching harshly and quickly for the information that only she could reveal.

"No! You won't get away with this!" 

_Really, shouting is no good now, Bella. Rictusempra!_ Snape's voice in her head said and she felt the tickling charm take effect even if nobody had casted. The laughter, together with all the other distractors from the potion, was making her mind unable to keep up any defense. 

            Bellatrix's husband entered at her lab at that moment, taking in the scene, not really understanding what is going on. Through her giggles, his wife told him to help her drink it.

"Drink what?" he said, and Bella rolled around, disturbingly reminiscent of the crazy ones in St. Mungo's. Her eyes were not focusing, and she was leering here and there, but she was repeating as if it was a mantra:

"Must drink-must drink-must drink-drink-drink!"

Lestrange saw she was holding a vial in her hand, that she was trying to get to her mouth but some other, invisible force was impeding her. Immediately, he grasped her fingers, took the vial and poured it in her throat. Bellatrix groaned, but the physical movements stopped. She looked drunk, but still more in control than before.

"Potion… going to… EEEEEEKKK!" she screamed, arching backwards as Snape asserted his control completely at that moment, and for a few brief seconds Bella's mind was open and defenceless. It was all the remaining Marauders needed to extract the information they wanted.

_You have been most helpful, Bella. Have fun making an antidote while under the effect of the potion._

***

            Remus and Sirius clapped their hands in a high-five motion as they saw the enchanted parchment's smooth surface adorned with the name of a place:

_The Dark Lord may be found in __Hastings__, where the Dragon can be summoned, where the Magic flows forever._

Sirius skimmed the paper as he handed to Dumbledore. "For a twisted, Dark Witch, Bella has a knack for the poetic in her mind," he said with a smirk. Remus smiled with amusement, then looked to where Snape still sat, in the same limp position as before.

"Is this normal?" he asked Dumbledore. Albus nodded.

"The task that he undertook was very energy consuming. But I believe a hot cup of chocolate will restore a good deal of what he lost. After we bring him to his senses, of course."

"Do we really have to?" Sirius smirked as he pointed his wand at Snape and said "_Ennervate__!" _

            Snape gasped to awareness, his body moving forward as if he wanted to hurl. Remus helped him not fall off the armchair.

"Severus? Are you well?"

"Of course I am not bloody well, Lupin!"

"He's just fine, judging by the snarl," Sirius grinned. "We got the Big Bad Voldie's addy!" he said as Snape slowly straightened up, looking like he had spent far too much time in a roller coaster.

"Thank Merlin that you are not as incompetent as I feared. Bellatrix's mind is not too hospitable," he said. Albus handed him a cup of hot chocolate, and for one of those rare moments, Snape did not refuse it.

"So, were is it?" he asked.

"Where the Dragon can be summoned, and Magic flows forever…," Albus said with a twinkle in his eyes. Snape's own widened in realisation, and the Headmaster nodded.

"Yes- I do believe that Tom Riddle is at Stonehenge." After the small silence of awe from all three younger wizards, Dumbledore said cheerfully to Sirius:

"I believe that we should alert and mobilise the Aurors now, Sirius."

***

            Blaise Zabini knelt in front of Voldemort. It was only her in the room and Lucius Malfoy. For the first time since her initiation. Blaise felt her heart skip in beats. It was always dangerous when you were summoned alone, instead of with a crowd. Professor Snape had made that quite clear. It was not, of course, that she didn't know why she was there. She only hoped that she would carry out her task properly. 

"So, Blaise," Voldemort said, drawing the 's' again, "tell me more, about the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix."

"My Lord, the only place that Dumbledore would hide Malfoy is there, because he believes that there is no way around the Fidelius Charm that protects it."

"Have you found who the secret keeper is?" Lucius asked.

"No, I haven't," Blaise said, and as soon as she had uttered it, the Cruciatus hit her- but only briefly.

"I do hope, Blaise Zabini, that you have not taken up my time with insignificant information," Voldemort's eyes flashed with the morbid threat. Blaise managed to get on all fours and she shook her head.

"No my lord. I… I have a way to… to reach Malfoy. And since he is there, by finding him, we will find the Headquarters, too."

"How can you be sure that Draco is there?" Lucius asked again, his eyes gleaming with malice at the mental image of finding his son.

"Because, sir, I overheard Weasley telling it to Potter, during Potions Class. Without Snape, it is quite easy to whisper in the class, and I could hear what they were saying clearly," Blaise said and breathed evenly, to control her brain as well as her mind. There was a pregnant pause, then Voldemort's voice reached her ears, in that semi-satisfied purr that he occasionally used.

"So, what is this way you have?"

***

            Draco felt that he was being cooped up for too long, and that he was doing nothing. When he had been at Hogwarts, in the Study Group, he felt that he was useful, that he was part of an army fighting against the very threat of the wizarding society. But now, in the Black house, he felt incapacitated, redundant, useless. And that was a feeling that he didn't cherish in the least. He ran to the living room as soon as he heard the telltale whoosh of the floo. He saw Sirius walking through with a satisfied grin.

"Well?" he asked eagerly. Sirius glanced at him in question.

"Well, what?"

"When am I going back to Hogwarts?"

"Not too soon. Your daddy is quite mad at you still," Sirius smirked. Draco clicked his tongue.

"I can't stay in here and do nothing! I didn't go through all the training in Potter's group to end up in a house feeding Buckbeak!"

"Don't worry, kid. You will get your chance soon enough. For now, it's important that you don't budge from here. Got it?"

Draco squinted at the tall ex-convict, and tilted his head to the side. 

"There's some plan behind all this, isn't there? I am not here only because it's safe, am I?" he asked and watched for reactions. Sirius turned and looked at him with a smile.

"Well. You get to see soon, won't you? I have work to do, kid, and people to contact."

Draco licked his lips and watched Sirius go towards his personal room. He breathed and called.

"Sirius?"

The tall man looked over his shoulder.

"Is… is Zabini okay?" he asked hesitantly. Sirius smiled and winked, then walked further down the aisle.

***

            All the Study Group except Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy was in the Room of Requirement. Severus Snape pointed his wand to Harry Potter, and muttered the spell for the mind link that would allow him to walk Harry through anything that would need Occlumentic powers. Harry felt the enigmatic presence of the Potions Master surround his mind snugly, then retreat in the peripheral of his awareness.

"Alright, Potter. If the need arises, you will do exactly as I say. No insubordination, is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," Harry said in a puzzled tone. "But why are we all here tonight? It feels as if we are preparing for something."

"Quite right," Snape said.

"Will it involve duels?" asked Fred eagerly.

"Or pranks, at least?" added George.

"Stop that," said Ginny irritably. Neville fidgeted, trying to keep being behind Snape instead of in his line of vision. 

"I am glad to see everyone present and eager," came the cheerful voice of Dumbledore from the entrance. Everyone turned to look at the one wizard that could make Voldemort be afraid. Dumbledore walked to where Harry was standing next to Snape. He put his hand on the young Gryffindor's shoulder with a smile.

"Harry, we are, once again, in the eve of a confrontation. I shall need your help. All of the Order, as a matter of fact, has to lean on you."

"You can count on me, Headmaster," Harry said quietly, his eyes staring straight ahead, but determined. Dumbledore smiled, then handed Harry a vial of potion.

"Take this when you feel faint- orders by Madame Pomfrey."

Harry chuckled. Dumbledore turned to the rest of the students in the Room:

"Up to now, you have proven to be most important, all of you, and the Order already owes you a lot. The reason I have called you here is because I trust you just as much as seasoned aurors. I will need you tonight- in a night that might determine the very lives of the wizarding world."

            There was a heavy, excited silence in the Room, as it sunk in in everyone's consciousness the sheer importance. Even the Weasley twins had sobered up. Oddly enough, it was Neville Longbottom that broke it.

"Tell us what we have to do, Headmaster."

***

            It was in the early hours that the darkness, cold and still, started to shift into forms that seemed to close around a derelict building menacingly. Creatures of the night, from cats to rats skittered away from the influence. The disguise of the building seemed to shift and ripple, until the Ministry of Magic appeared for what it was. It appeared deserted. The dark figures entered silently in the apparently unguarded building, the moon gleaming sinisterly against the white faceless masks of the Death Eaters. 

The pawns were moving.

___________________

There you go! The heat goes up, doesn't it? I am slightly tired, so I will answer reviews next time. *Snape gets up and leaves in a swirl of robes* Please tell me what you think about what should happen to Voldie, because the next chapter will define the ending of the story. See you then!


	17. 17

*Snape carries her in, and _gently sets her on the armchair* Yes, you thought right. For Snape to be treating me this gently, I am very fragile- I worked myself sick, but at least I got myself As in the university and a schoolful of happy kids- so that's gotta be worth it. I am sorry I left you hanging for so long, but here I come now, and I _promise_ it will be worth the wait. _

So, Chapter 17, *hit play*

______________

Lestrange was barely flinching on the hard ground before Voldemort, whose hands were trembling in anger. 

"You insignificant, worthless worms!" he hissed, spitting in his rage, his crimson eyes flashing in anger he could barely control. "_Crucio__!"_

Lestrange yelled in agony again, but his voice was faint, dwindling. Voldemort let up the curse almost reluctantly. 

"How is it possible!?" he asked, merging the words together in anger.

"My Lord, I can't tell …what happened, and …what …p…p-potion she took- but it made her …catatonic."

"Have you the vial?" Voldemort asked, barely containing his rage to get information. Lestrange's body was too weak to react, so Lucius pulled up his head by the hair so he could face the Dark Lord and answer.

"Y-yes, my Lord," Lestrange said and Lucius searched through the semi-conscious Death Eater's robes and retrieved a small vial that was half-full with a purple liquid.   He presented it to Voldemort, who nodded his head dismissively.

"Search for the signature on the thing- use the best potion maker we can get our hands on- even if you have to put them under Imperio to do it. Then get the maker of this potion and bring him to me," Voldemort ordered and Lucius apparated away. 

***

            Draco sighed as he watched Sirius walking around the house, preparing it and himself. He fidgeted.

"Dumbledore trusts me with this?"

"I don't believe it either kid, but that he does. Are you sure you are not going to bungle it up?" Sirius muttered as he carefully led Buckbeak to the kitchen that had been cleared away from almost all furniture. Draco swallowed.

"I don't know. I kind of remember him. From the looks of it, he remembers me, too."

"Well, here's your chance to make amends," Sirius smirked, and backed off from Buckbeak who looked around his new enclosure with interest, before his eyes rested on the silver-haired Slytherin. Draco sighed and approached with much more respect than he had that day in the Care of Magical Creatures class. Buckbeak frowned and straightened his long neck. Draco cringed.

"I think he remembers me," he said with a slight tremble in his voice. Sirius leaned off the doorframe with a small smile, clearly enjoying this immensely.

"Well, when someone is the reason you are on the run, you tend to remember their looks," he said as he approached the hippogriff with confidence. Draco still wasn't daring to go any closer. 

"I don't see how this can work at all, then," Draco said and scowled. "Unless this is the Light's way of turning me to shreds- 'the hippogriff did it; oh well, what a shame'," he quipped with irony that dripped. Sirius tilted his head much like his animagus form did.

"Well, Draco, if you truly have seen the error of your ways, and truly do want to make amends, Buckbeak will see that and he will accept you. Now is the time to find out- you won't have any afterwards," the ex-convict said and respectfully petted Buckbeak, who leaned in to his touch. He seemed to whisper to Buckbeak as he stroked the mythic animal's head and Buckbeak ruffled his feathers indignantly. Draco swallowed. Was this to be his end? At the business end of a hippogriff? He cringed even more at that thought- because there were two business ends to a hippogriff, and none were pleasant. _When did I start thinking ridiculously in the face of danger? That's Potter's job..._

"I think now is the moment to try, Draco. All he wants is respect- just a little bit," Sirius said with a small smile as if he was making a joke, which Draco didn't get.

            Draco sighed and swallowed, and walked up cautiously to the hippogriff. Buckbeak glared down his beak at him. Draco sighed and bowed deeply, hoping that the beast wouldn't bring its beak down on the back of his head, or that at least Sirius would spell him away from it in time. _I am truly sorry for what I caused you Buckbeak. Please, **please accept me this time so that the plan will succeed,**_ Draco thought but didn't dare articulate. He saw the hippogriff's hooves shift and heard the shuffle of feathers. He clenched his eyes closed but no blow came, so Draco chanced to open one of his eyes; and there he was, eye to eye with the hippogriff, that was bowing back in return.

***

            The head of the Ministry's potion maker was a bachelor; had been born one and never in his 40 some years had Martin Brazenshire considered starting a family. He loved his work and he loved his lab- he had no time for a wife or children, and he would not condemn either with an absentee husband or father- like his own had been. He actually rarely went to his small apartment in London, a few streets from Diagon Alley. He preferred to sleep in the small cot that was in his lab's adjoining room, among the fragrances of brewing potions and warm, bubbling sounds of cauldrons simmering. That was what he was doing when the door swayed open under the unlocking spell. 

            Martin cracked his eyes open as an unfamiliar shadow fell on his reclining form. He gasped and sat up in bed.

"I have a task for you, mr. Brazenshire," came the silky voice.

"_Imperio_."

***

            Harry Potter folded his blind man's cane and pocketed it. He stroked Sasha, coiled over his right wrist, felt the snake's forked tongue in his fingers. He heard Ron running towards him along with another set of familiar footsteps- Hermione. He smiled wanly.

"I have brought them, Harry," Ron said, excitement brimming in his voice, and Harry's own heart skipped in beats as he outstretched his arm, and the familiar thick, rounded wood was pressed into his hands. He smiled, running his fingers over the handle.

"You took good care of her, Ron," he murmured lovingly, as if he was meeting an old friend.

"Of course I did- she helped us take Slytherin," Ron chuckled and Harry smiled some more.

"The fact that Malfoy was absent had to help some, too." 

"Ron spent almost an hour every day maintaining the broom, Harry," Hermione said with a proud voice. Harry chuckled, enjoying the familiar touch of the broom that once had been as much a part of him as his cane. He heard Ron fidget.

"I knew that she would return to the true owner one day. I wanted her to be just as she was when she came to me," he said in an embarrassed voice, as if Hermione had revealed something that made him feel gruff. Harry smiled and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Ron, this is still your broom. I don't take my gifts back," he said in a gentle voice and pressed the broom handle back to his friend's hand. He heard Ron's breath shift, as if he was gaping.

"But-but-but it's a perfectly good racing broom and you will need it for this!"

"So will you; besides, I have a loaner- it's going to arrive soon enough. Where _is everyone else, anyway?"_

            As if on cue, Neville, Fred and George ran up to where the trio was- at the back of the Quidditch pitch. Ginny was carrying two brooms, one of them pure black. A small Burmese was trotting along beside her. Ginny smiled as everyone gathered around the teens.

"Just a second, while I put a concealing charm on us," Hermione said, seeing that Sombre wanted to shift. When the glittering bubble encased them all, Sombre shifted into Severus Snape, and took the black broom from Ginny.

"There you go, Potter; transportation, courtesy of mr. Draco Malfoy," the potions master said gruffly and Harry received the black broom. He heard Ron choke.

"Malfoy gave you his Nimbus 2001?!"

"Breathe, big brother- you look like your food went the wrong way down," Ginny giggled. Fred and George smirked.

"So, are we all set…"

"… to wreak havoc…"

"…in London,"

" Scotland,"

"…or Ireland?"

"That's enough from you. This is a _serious_ plan of which you have no experience whatsoever!" Snape snapped, and the twins silenced, although Harry could discern from their breathing that they were far from chastised. Harry sighed and spoke in the low, gentle tones that didn't cover noise.

"Okay… I have to repeat, that if anyone is having second thoughts, it's okay, and now is the time to back down. From the moment we take off, there will be no turning back. We will be on our own. Completely," Harry said, stressing the last voice gently, yet still managing to send shivers down some of his fellow Study Group member's spines. Yet none backed down.

"Let us hope your heroics don't end when you cross Hogwart's borders. Potter- drink."

            Harry took out one of the vials given to him by Poppy and drank it all, feeling the liquid spread downwards like liquid fire. He felt Snape's hands handing him a new one, and the Professor's face inches from his hear. The warm breath puffed against his skin, making him shiver involuntarily.

"Remember Potter, that you are not healthy- and remember that if I give you an order, you are _not_ to disobey it. Do you have enough long term memory for that?"

"Yes, Professor," Harry said with a small wry grin, hoping that it would not come to this.

            Snape backed off and gave the Study Group each a small flask of iridescent, transluscent potion. They looked at it puzzled- except Hermione.

"Would Miss Granger care to tell you what it is I have given you, as it is obvious that the only one paying even the minimal attention to class was she," Snape said scathingly, and Hermione promptly replied:

"This is the standard Auror Medi Potion. Aurors use it to heal their wounds enough so they can continue fighting."

"Indeed; have in mind that it will _not_ heal you completely should you get hurt with more than a simple lesion. So don't think it as a second chance; it is not. What it will do, is give you enough energy to get out of ground zero- and only that," Snape said, making his voice hard and stern, slightly worried by the relieved looks that the Weasley boys had. Neville didn't look too relieved, and he kept side looking at Snape, making Snape tell him sardonically:

"Don't worry, Mr. Longbottom- the potion will work even in your abysmal case."

            Neville flinched, but Harry spoke up, taking the place of the leader now, with the tone of voice he used.

"Time has come. Mount your brooms," he ordered and everyone did, Snape shifting into Sombre. The concealment spell broke and the adrenaline started going up in levels. "Hermione, I will use you for my navigation- so stay close, okay?"

"Sure, Harry," she said instead of nodding; she didn't want anyone to remember their leader was blind, knowing that it didn't matter. Not really.

"Alright. Let's go," he said, and Hermione took off first. Harry took out his wand and muttered a homing spell, then took off after her, following her by the pull of his wand, and the rest of the Study Group followed.

            Sombre looked at the young people slowly growing into specks in the sky, his tail swishing. Then he about turned and ran. He too, had a job to do.

***

"Nobody made this potion," Martin said in his somniferous voice, as Lucius watched him analyze and re-analyze the potion. Lucius scowled, barely keeping himself from tightening his fingers around the potion maker's throat.

"Of course someone did! Find the signature, you worthless maggot!"

"There is no signature," Martin repeated, staying immobile, waiting for the next order.

"There has to be! This is no ordinary, standardised potion! Find what its purpose was!" Lucius snarled. Martin nodded and set to work again. Lucius paced up and down the whole while. He didn't dare think what would happen should he return to Voldemort empty-handed.

***

            Ludo Bagman swallowed, his palms ice cold, as he waited. Waiting was always the worst part of every endeavour, and although as a gambler he craved the adrenaline rush, he despised the odds of this particular game he had been forced to play. Most of the staff of the Ministry of Magic was gone for the night; those that had stayed were more than mere secretaries and clerks. The tension in the whole building was tangible, and Ludo felt stifled. 

The door opened.

"The Death Eaters are breaching the security. Everything goes according to plan. Remember your part, Bagman," the Unspeakable that had come to warn him said, and Ludo nodded quickly. He heard the spell warding his door outside, and he felt immediately both safer and more vulnerable. If the battle should be lost, then there was no ward in the whole world that would be able to protect Ludo from the wrath of the Dark Lord and his minions. He took out his wand and casted another ward, just as the first sounds of battle started coming from the lower levels of the ministry of magic.

***

            Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Severus Snape and Arthur Weasley all gathered up in the main living room of the Black House. They looked between themselves, all the glances strong, all serious, of people fully aware of the stakes and what they were putting aside in order for the general good to prevail. Then, Draco Malfoy walked in, dressed in tight black sweater and jeans, just as Sirius had told him it would serve him better to. He felt slightly uncomfortable dressed in purely muggle clothes- as if this outside appearance for the first time tagged him for the side he had chosen. It was not an unpleasant uncomfortable feeling. Arthur looked at the young Slytherin that looked so much like his father, yet so unlike him, now.

"It's been a long time since that day in the book shop, hasn't it, young Draco?" Arthur Weasley said gently. Draco nodded, the pallor of his skin flushing just a little bit.

"Yes, sir, it has been," he said in a slightly altered voice. Sirius nodded to everyone.

"Everything's ready. Hopefully, the big fish will be left to our party in Stonehenge."

"Never bet on the best case scenario, Black. Voldemort might well come here, to witness the fall of the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters, especially if he feels brash enough to do so," Snape said cuttingly. Remus was thoughtful.

"Still, he became much more cautious after learning of the Inquisitor fiasco," he said.

"I am only here to warn, Lupin," Snape snapped. Arthur nodded.

"Well then. Let's get ready to wait- they might appear any minute and find us here chatting," he said and patted Draco's shoulder encouragingly. Draco shivered, and sat down, clutching his wand in his hands tightly, nervously. The lighting was weak and obscure, making the shadows longer and thicker. The wizards melded in them, and although Draco knew they were there, he still couldn't see them, or even make out their forms.

_So it begins. I only hope I see you in time, Blaise._

***

            Harry felt again after so many months the exuberance of flying. He had almost forgot how it felt to soar through the ethers, feeling the wind in your hair, the pull of the gravity, the sheer speed of the flying. His blood boiled in his veins, his heart beat fast, and he felt like whooping in joy, the sheer joy of being alive, of being able to feel this. The chilly air didn't bother him- he craved it, even. He made the broom take sharp turns every time his wand tugged at him to change direction, following Hermione. He felt Sasha tightening around his wrist and he casted a light warming spell.

"Thank you Harry," the snake hissed thankfully.

"No- thank you, for being here with me. I know you don't like flying," Harry hissed back, opening his eyes wide for even his ocular muscles to feel the pressure of the speed, since they were unable to perceive anything else. 

"Are you happy, Harry?" Sasha asked, just like she had at the eve of another battle.

"Right now, I am, Sasha. I am happy I have this moment, and it will help me with what I am up against."

"I am glad Harry," Sasha said, and then Harry heard the _whoosh of another broom very close by._

"Mate, can you stop talking to Sasha while you're flying? Your hissing's giving me the creeps!" Ron said and Harry chuckled.

"Okay Ron. You sound cold- where are we exactly now?"

"We are almost there- just entered Hastings. Hermione sure took Snape's word literal and we are going the long way there, to make sure we are not seen."

"Good," Harry nodded. He heard Neville coming up to them quickly.

"We are about to land, so chatting's over," the boy said, and anything timorous had left his voice. Harry felt encouraged. If Neville could sound so strong, then anything could happen. He should trust Dumbledore. He wouldn't send them to do this if he wasn't certain that there were at least good odds. Yes. He should trust Dumbledore. 

_I should also try to trust myself, too._

***

            Blaise Zabini presented Voldemort with the portkey.

"Malfoy doesn't know of its existence, but I charmed this portkey to lead us to wherever Malfoy is during supper on the eve of his escape, my Lord. When we activate it, it will lead us to him, and the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. It is irrelevant if they are protected by the Fidelius or not, because technically we are not trying to home in to the Headquarters- but to a person."

The Death Eaters that had not gone to the ministry, Voldemort's best of his old guard and a select few of his new recruits, looked to him to see if he approved, if indeed the strategy of the young Slytherin girl was statisfactory. There was a small pause, then Voldemort nodded.

"You have served me well, Blaise Zabini. I hereby recognise you as one of my best, one of my inner circle."

The Death Eaters all raised their wands silently to acknowledge Blaise's new status. Right at that moment, an apparating parchment popped and hovered in front of the Dark Lord. Voldemort took it and opened it as Blaise respectfully retreated back to her place in the circle of the Death Eaters around her. Voldemort looked up and his crimson eyes flashed in triumph.

"My loyal Death Eaters- our triumph is approaching! As we speak our brothers have control of the Ministry of Magic, and all of its departments!" he announced and held up the parchment, with the shiny silver signature of Minister Bagman. The Death Eaters all hailed.

            It was then that Lucius arrived, grim faced yet hopeful. Voldemort nodded for him to speak, now confident not to take arbitrary news in private.

"The potion that put Bellatrix Lestrange into a coma was analyzed, my Lord. It was designed to kill her, to cause a stroke. Apparently Dumbledore felt threatened of our potion master, now that the traitor Snape is dead."

"The sssignature?" Voldemort persisted.

"There was no signature, my Lord. Apparently the potion was not made by a master."

"Dumbledore's list of allies grows thin," cacked Voldemort. "It is time for the taking. Zabini!"

Blaise walked forward again and bent her head, holding up the portkey. It was a simple blue quill. 

"Activate the portkey- we shall bring the Order of the Phoenix to its ruins before the day is through!"

And so it was in the bright, cheerful Spring morning that Blaise Zabini activated the portkey that would transport every Death Eater right in the heart of resistance. Her heart beat so fast it could break. 

She held out the active portkey, and everyone touched it. She felt the tug at the navel. Everything blurred kaleidoscopically. _ Please, let it all work out for the best._

_____________________

*Snape administers various potions to her to restore her somewhat to sentience* Well, we are approaching the end- about one or two more chapters to go. I hope this chapter was satisfactory. I got all your votes as to what to do with Voldemort. I promise I will do my best to rise up to the challenge. ;) And I absolutely _swear that next time I shall answer reviews. I NEED to know your thoughts on this. Till next time!_


	18. 18

*walks in with Snape holding champagne* *Snape is dressed in his dress robes just for the occasion* Happy New Year everyone! I hope you had a wonderful time, and that this year will be the greatest you have yet!

Sorry I took so long updating, but I was hibernating. I have only now shaken off that stupid virus. It was not a good deal, I tell you that. *Snape sits down in a flourish of silk and cashmere* I think that's my cue to start this chapter…

Chapter 18 *hit play*

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            Draco sat alone in the semi-darkness. He could hear his heart beating, and he felt his hands clenched so tightly around his wand that he doubted if he would be able to relax them on demand. Cold sweat was running down his back, even if it was not hot at all. _These could be my final moments on this earth. How I wish I could tell mom I am sorry… and shag Zabini to the next century. _He sighed, fidgeting. He heard Buckbeack's hooves claquing on the tiled kitchen floor. It was a bit of a reassurance, but unfortunately not enough. 

            He smirked to himself. He hadn't felt this scared since his first year, when he and Potter had to go alone with Hagrid's dog in the Forbidden Forest. How calm and safe those past years seemed in relation to now! It seemed that every year became even more dangerous, even more sinister, even more deadly. Draco seemed to recall that he considered all this a game, not more than role play until Diggory had died. He hadn't shed any tears for the Hufflepuff- Merlin forbid. But his death had made it clear that students _could_ die, students _could_ be in danger even within Hogwarts' powerful wards. And then, came another shocking fact- that Potter had been blinded, by something dark. He had relished in the idea that he would have no worthy opponent in quidditch, but he had also felt a tremor of fear in his heart, for if the Boy-Who-Lived, the most protected student in all of Hogwarts, got maimed, then what could happen to him, who was a mostly hated, usually resented Slytherin with a shady family?

            _How did I manage to come from spoiled bully to covert fighter for Dumbledore?_ Draco chuckled to himself again. It had been Potter and that temporary blindness prank that had started the chain reaction that led to him picking sides on the eve of Hogwarts Attack, then actively joining Potter's group and training with him to be able to fight side-by-side with his once-upon-a-time nemesis. And now he was no less than a Marauder, if you came to think of it: he was breaking rules, keeping secrets, being part of a team, and putting his life at stake like any foolhardy Gryffindor ever did- just like his Head of House. _Snape__ too, was a great shock to me, he thought. It was amazing how much he respected and admired this man- more than Dumbledore. How much of a wild card he had proven himself to be, even by staging his own death to make Voldemort believe he was ahead in the game. __Even from his grave, Snape is tricking Voldemort, he thought and he chuckled a little more loudly._

"Chuckling, you ingrate? _Crucio__!"_

***

            As soon as they landed, Harry coaxed Sasha, stroking her triagonal head.

"I will need your eyes tonight, for a while, Sasha," he said gently.

"You don't have to ask, Harry, you know that," Sasha hissed back, her forked tongue caressing the agile fingers.

"As soon as I break the mind link, I want you to promise me you will hide," Harry hissed, and Sasha didn't answer immediately. "Promise me, Sasha!"

The snake's eyes glittered much like any true Slytherin's would and she hissed back softly:

"I promisssse, Harry."

            Harry nodded and using Sasha's eyes, looked around. All of the Study Group had gathered around him, waiting for him to tell them where to go and what to do, like soldiers do their leaders. Harry shook the thought away- he didn't want to think of the tremendous responsibility that he was taking. It would paralyse him with fear of the inevitable. 

"Okay. Let's not use active spells until we absolutely have to. Stonehenge is that way, and according to what Professor Dumbledore told us, it will be crawling with Death Eaters. We should not be seen, so any invisibility spell and the like should be casted now."

"Why not there? It's not like anyone can see us a mile away," Neville asked.

"Because there may be spell detection wards around Stonehenge, and they will be alerted."

"We'd loose the element of surprise," George nodded.

"Okay, now is the time, guys," Harry nodded to them, and they grinned with glee. Fred pulled a small cube from his pocket, then muttered a spell. It unshrunk into a large cardboard box.

"What's that?" Hermione asked, her tone implying that she already knew.

"Wizard Wheezes! I think this is the perfect time to have some active trials of some items we plan to include in the catalogue," Fred said and George nodded. 

            He opened the box with a flourish, and then, just like muggle salesgirls, he said:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, here are the products we suggest for surprise raids…"

***

            Draco screamed and writhed under the torture spell that his father was casting on him with fiery, hateful eyes. He let it up before Draco ran out of breath, because he wanted the boy to live and stay conscious enough to endure more pain. Draco breathed raggedly, his panting loud in the quiet room where Voldemort, Blaise, Lucius and a group of about 20 more Death Eaters that Draco couldn't recognise behind the masks were standing. He hoped that they wouldn't notice the hidden wizards that were in strategic places all around the large living room. 

"You dared defy our Lord for Dumbledore! Your punishement will not be death! Death will be your release when and if our Master wishes it, you filth," Lucius said loudly and casted the Cruciatus on Draco again.

            Draco had never felt the curse on his body. He felt it was unbearable, his mind screamed and his body was on fire and needles. He had dropped his wand, but he had seen where it had rolled to, underneath the armchair in which he had been sitting. The curse was let up again, and he greatfully gulped in air. His limbs still went through spasms that he couldn't control.

"Search the house, kill everything that moves. Seize Dumbledore, if he is in here," Voldemort ordered lazily, with the airs of a conqueror over a won battlefield.

"It seems the house is deserted, my Lord," another Death Eater said.

"The rats fled!" Lucius growled and lifted his wand to curse his son again. "_Crucio__!"_

The curse missed.

            With the agility and presence of mind that Harry had taught him, Draco rolled to the side and grabbed his wand as he came to his feet. He felt the blood that was pooling in his mouth and the straining of his muscles, yet somehow he managed to override those sensations and go right into battle. _Is this how Potter does it? his mind found the time to think fleetingly._

"NOW!" he shouted and suddenly the Death Eaters found themselves in the crossfire of four wizards. 

            Before they had the time to react about 8 Death Eaters fell. Then everything was wrapped in a twirl of mayhem and multi-coloured light as the curses were fired from everywhere. Voldemort hissed, not agitated since it seemed to him that he had the advantage of superior numbers.

"Kill them and take their heads as trophies!" he ordered.

***

            Dumbledore sat alone in his office, gazing thoughtfully out the window. He was dressed in dark robes with no cloak- clothes that wouldn't impede him in a duel. He turned to Fawkes who was looking at him with mismatched cheerfulness. 

"Everything is in motion now, Fawkes. All my strategy against that of Tom's."

Fawkes chirped optimistically. Dumbledore smiled and stroked the firey bird with a small smile.

"You believe in me still, old friend, despite my mistakes of the recent past," he sighed, thinking of Harry Potter and his parents before him. Fawkes again chirped encouragingly and then flew out the window like a bright flame. Dumbledore nodded and got his wand.

_Now is not the time for regret. Now is the time to fight for those that already have given their blood and life._

***

            Arthur Weasley ran to one of the adjoining rooms in the Black house, 5 Death Eaters running after him, certain of his imminent demise. He skidded to a halt and dodged a curse, then turned to face them.

            They approached, some with their white masks still on, and laughed in their sinister manner.

"Give it up, Weasley. You simply are no match for the Dark Lord alone," one of them said. Arthur panted, looking this way and that for certain things, then smiled, holding his wand in defense. It was a grim smile, not the usual open-hearted, welcoming one of the father of a large large family.

"I may not be alone, but how about when there's more?" he said and aurors came in from the shadowy corridors of the house and surrounded the Death Eaters. 

***

            Draco ran to where Buckbeak was and was about to mount him. He had to be fast- he had a specific task to do, and it required good timing.

"Come back here, -son-," came the steely voice, and Draco jumped, turning around, his wand at the ready. Lucius was grinning like a skull, his white hair loose all around him and in his eyes that were gleaming with madness and hatred.

"One son… only one son I had, and he turned out worse than a bastard," he murmured as he walked in an arch around Draco. Buckbeak ruffled his feathers in annoyance.

"You are the one that's a bastard!" retorted Draco, years of pent up anger at how he was belittled and mistreated surfacing now. "You know what? I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to lift a wand against you- that I would be afraid of you because I don't really love you, not anymore! But I find that I have absolutely no _problem!_" he ended up shouting, and fired a curse towards Lucius, which he ducked.

"You finally grew a spine, boy?" drawled Lucius and fired a stunning curse at Draco.

"_Protego__! I always had one. You just made sure it was always broken in a 90 degree angle!" growled Draco and returned the curse._

"You have become a good dueller. You still have the time to make the right choice. Join the Dark Lord, he needs you!" said Lucius, his eyes demanding, one hand outstretched.

Draco felt shaken. This was his dream come true. His father recognising his value, counting him as a variable in an equation, not as a burden and a good-for-nothing. He blinked, his wand wavered and for a moment, the hullabaloo of the battle going on in the other rooms and floors of the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix were muted. He blinked sweat away from his eyes. Lucius took one step forward. Buckbeak half-unfolded his wings, recognising the man for who he was.

"Join me, son. Serve the Dark Lord with me!"

            Like a film on fast forward, the past experiences that Draco had had rolled before his eyes:

The rainy day when he shouted Voldemort's name without flinching into the skies…

The day he stood among aurors and all the representatives of the Light side and with the spell of his wand took sides actively…

The moment when he saw Severus Snape's body, presumably killed by the hand of Death Eaters and the deep sorrow that came with it-

The moment when Sombre shifted into the Professor he long thought dead, and the joy as if the world was given back to him-

Blaise Zabini and her pledge to avenge her mother.

"No," said Draco, and his eyes hardened, his jaw clenched. Lucius blinked, as if he hadn't heard right.

"No?"

"Hell no! I am not going to be a minion to a mutant that can't pronounce s' without whistling!" screamed Draco at the top of his voice.

            For a moment, Lucius only had great surprise on his face, as if he was not looking at his son, but a stranger that he had never met nor ever expected to meet in his life. Then his eyes hardened and he moved his wand in the telltale way that made Draco's perception set off a thousand alarms:

"_Avada__ Kedavra!"_

***

            Voldemort was livid. There was no Dumbledore here, and not only had they not surprised anything, but also fallen into a trap, where everyone had been waiting for them. As he fought, shielding himself, casting the killing curse and only that when he pointed his wand to an adversary, he looked around to see how the balance of the battle was going.

It was not going well.

            Aurors hidden in obscure or concealed rooms were progressively overrunning his minions. Then, his eyes fell on a certain minion of his, and the hatred rose much higher than it ever had ever since Severus Snape's death. 

Blaise Zabini had thrown her mask and robes, and in her school attire was fighting against him and with Dumbledore. _She set me up! He pointed his wand and prepared to cast the killing curse._

"_Avada__-"_

"_Expelliarmus__!" shouted a voice that he never expected to hear again. The surprise of the Dark Lord almost made him lose his wand, but he caught it with the tips of his fingers and nullified the curse. He blinked as he saw a dead man…walking._

"Ssssseverus! You are dead!"

"Fool me once," Snape said with a grim smile and a deadly voice as he swished and flicked. Voldemort's feet were swept from under him. "shame on you. Fool me twice…"

Voldemort flicked his wand without even talking, and the sabre spell went through Snape who ducked and shifted into a small black cat just before the spell would decapitate him. 

"I can never be shamed, worthless worm." Voldemort tried to finish the kill of that damn Potions Master that simply wouldn't stay dead, but he saw at least three aurors and Blaise Zabini aiming at him. He could not afford to be captured or killed now- he had still aces up his sleeve. He had the ministry and nobody knew where his own base was. He would retreat there and resume the offensive in a day or two, after the moral had successfully broken down with the news of the Ministry's capture.

Voldemort disapparated.

"Voldemort fled! The battle is taken!" Blaise screamed with Sonorus, thus making the fighting Death Eaters panicky.

***

            Draco avoided the curse with agility that again Lucius didn't expect. He vaguely recognisedmoves he had seen only in certain Aurors of older times- Potter, Black… and his son wouldn't give up, just like the youngest Potter. He grit his teeth, because now it was not nature's failure that was staring him in the face, but his; for Draco had suddenly turned into all he had ever dreamed that he would become in 6 months when he had failed to make him so in more than 6 years. And he wanted to kill that failure, to eradicate it from his pristine record. 

But his son, as always, wouldn't cooperate. He made a move to cast a killing curse- it shot out crimson towards his son while he was between the hippogriff and a wall with no way to duck out without the beast taking the hit. And it had been obvious that Draco was shielding it while defending himself as well.

"_Protego__ Vitalis!" Draco shouted, his eyes widening as his wand shone brighter than a neon light. He couldn't believe that he was doing this- he was going to try and deflect a curse that could kill him just so that Buckbeak wouldn't be its receipient! _He's essential to the plan- only reason I am helping him,_ his mind provided in the background as the crimson light engulfed him. He was using a rather tricky means of shielding, that Remus Lupin had taught them in the Study Group: Instead of shielding all of your body, protect only what will keep you functional and conscious._

            The curse sizzled under his skin, the pain excruciating, heightened with the sensitization due to the past Cruciatus he had received. He yelled in pain, and he sweated immediately, small veins and capillaries rupturing but arteries and major vessels remaining secure. His heart fluttered once or twice, but then resumed its rapid beating. The pain made him lose focus for a few seconds, and he heard his father casting against him. _I am dead,_ he thought, his vision still blurry, his body still trying to weather the shock of the curse.

"_Impedimenta!" came a voice that Draco realised he liked more than usual. His vision cleared to see Blaise standing at the entrance of the kitchen, with a small smile and charred muggle clothes, not the Death Eater robes._

"I thought I'd slow him down for you," she said with slight affection in her voice. Draco nodded and looked at the struggling figure of his father that was trying to shake off the curse. He grit his teeth as Lucius blinked again, seeing that he son was still standing, albeit much bloodier than before, and what was more, he was going to be able to cast a curse before him.

"_Effectio__ Stasis! Go to hell! And stay away from me!" he shouted, as Lucius fell on the floor heavily, apparently dead. Draco flicked his wand once more and the words 'I'm alive' were scribbled on Lucius' forehead in red ink. He smiled thinly at Blaise and nodded towards Buckbeak._

"C'mon. We have to catch a very speedy flight," he said and Blaise grinned, running to him. Buckbeak allowed both of them on his back.

Then, Draco Malfoy  and Blaise Zabini mounted flew away out the kitchen's back door, to join the rest of the Study Group.

***

            Voldemort apparated right in the middle of Stonehenge, where his remaining Death Eaters were waiting for the great news of their Lord's supremacy. 

"Welcome, my Lord," said Lestrange unfortunately, and was the receipient of a curse that sent him flying against one of the great boulders of the magical site.

"Fools! You were unable to detect the traitor in our midst! How am I to punish you now? Will you atone or shshshshall I kill you all?" he ranted at his minions, slurring almost to the illegible level. Everyone bowed their heads with masks off, hoping that if they stayed silent enough, they would be spared.

"You are fortunate that the Ministry has been occupied and is currently ours, or you wouldn't lassst the night! Has any intruder been detected?"

"No my Lord- of course the magic flow of the monument might obscure faint presences-" McNair started to explain.

"_Sanguiflus__!" Voldemort cut him off with the usual curse to silence someone that displeased him. McNair whimpered and wiped the blood that flowed down his eyes, nose and ears. "Imbeciles! Do you expect Dumbledore so idiotic as to walk up to you unprotected!? It is the ssssmall magic disssturbanccces that you have to detect!" Voldemort hissed._

            Nagini slithered up to him and coiled like a spring ready to attack. Voldemort knew this to be a guarded pose, when danger was approaching. He pointed longuish fingers to his Death Eaters to take positions. How had Dumbledore found him? Immediately his mind provided the answer, now that he had seen Severus Snape alive and kicking: He had made the potion that had thrown Bellatrix Lestrange in a coma, and as she was the secret keeper, they pried the secret from her mind through the influence of that potion. _Snape__! Again it is you that deceived me to my ruin! _

            No. It would not be his ruin. He was ahead, he had a strong hold over this particular game, a leverage that he had toiled for 15 years to repossess after that fateful Halloween night. He would not lose it now.

            Bright yellow canaries flew from all sides of Stonehenge right into the inner circle where he and the Death Eaters had been standing. They were flamboyantly coloured and they chirped as they careened in a kamikaze streak. Voldemort stared at the ludicrousness of the projectiles for a second too long before he reacted. Barely having time to shield himself, the canaries landed with force and exploded, kicking up dirt and stones, dispersing the group of his minions and filling a good part of the inside of Stonehenge with thick smoke. Voldemort quickly flicked his wand to disperse it, when a voice, low and subliminal so it wouldn't cover noise told him:

"I really should hit you in the back, but that is just not my style."

He turned and saw Harry Potter, with bright green, unmoving eyes and his wand at the ready standing calmly opposite him. The way the mists from the canaries surrounded him, the way his unruly hair whipped about him in the soft breeze and the way his eyes were hard and unyielding made Voldemort think of the young Gryffindor as the teenaged, male version of Blind Justice.

________________________

Showdown in the next chapter! This was Slytherins galore chapter, as I had promised my *coughs* colleague here. *Snape smiles with a rather saucy smirk as he sits back for another round of Baileys on the rocks* I hope you liked Draco's big moment there. ;)

As for my reviewers, as promised, here are my answers:

jaycee: I am glad you liked the chapter! I tried to weave in an overview of the story without arresting its flow. Is everything clear again?

floramoranda: lookie, more excitement! But be consoled, it will be over soon. ;)

Lady Lightning: I hope so too!

Ms Hobgoblin: Update! I hope it was not too late coming in.

Fire Valkyrie: *consoles you* there, there. You can read stuff of mine that is original, if you like my style so much. Our relationship doesn't have to end here, does it? Snape made me make a eulogy on light side Slytherins… heh.

Shawn Pickett: well, the game has definitely begun now, hasn't it? *moldyshorts goes to a corner and cries* nobody loves me!

Skysong1: Your wish is my command… somewhat. *chuckles*

Chantelli: Snape accepted your felicitations… *blank look* well that's what he told me to tell you! You know how he gets with affections. *L*

Dark Queen of Roses: *moldy feels even more unloved* *L*

Marauder3Moony: well at least she and Draco seem to be about to hook up together… heh.

Kateri1: one more chapter for the end… and perhaps an epilogue, I am not sure.

Kemenran: Well, how do you like how Draco got out? I pictured Aurors kind of like swat team people, that hide and can't be seen until the magic time comes. heh. And I let a sneak preview of what Gred and Forge have in stock for Stonehenge.

Cmon: *gives you a cookie* hey, you are the only one that noticed! Kudos to you!


	19. 19

*walks in with Snape, armed with everything that will be needed: quills, parchment, firewood and anti-sleeping potion* Hey all. After all the pleas of 'I can't wait any more!' the Gryffindor in me decided I should write the instalment instead of sleep. The Slytherin in me is satisfied enough with the pleading *snickers* *Snape rolls his eyes and fixes himself a bloody mary, as befits battles, hands her a baileys on the rocks with due sneering*

Snape also told me to remind you, in case you don't remember from GWTT 1, that any spell chanted with _ento homes in. Harry uses it for spells that need accurate aim._

Okay! The moment you've been waiting for!

Chapter 19 *hit play*

____________________

            _Your Gryffindor traits are your weakness,_ thought Voldemort as he pointed his wand at the blind teenager and fired a curse instead of talking:

"_Crucio__!"_

"_Diverto__!" came Harry's countercurse, in calm, easy tones, as if he was in Remus Lupin's DADA class. Indeed, the terrible Unforgivable seemed to perform a 45 degree turn upwards and smash against a boulder in Stonehenge. Voldemort couldn't believe his eyes. Nobody before had had the strength, the magical stamina to actually __deflect the Cruciatus. It caused a reaction in the Dark Wizard that he didn't appreciate at all:_

Fear started creeping in his heart about Harry Potter.

***

            The mist from the canaries had dissipated enough to reveal the triumphant moments of the Weasley Twins. The periphery of the solemn monument that Stonehenge was had suddenly turned into a huge prank arena.

"George! Ferret Bonanzas!" yelled Fred happily as he pelted a group of 3 Death Eaters with what seemed to be innocent lollipops. However, the moment they made contact with anything organic, fur started to grow, ears shrunk and rounded, teeth elongated and tails sprouted, morphing the unfortunate minions into rodents with no capacity to speak spells or hold wands.

"It definitely goes in the menu!" called George over his shoulder, then nimbly, as was the general Study Group trait, avoided sinister curses to retaliate with another invention especially prepared in order to deal with aggressive adults: He dipped his wand into a thin bottle full of potion and blew on its tip, producing hundreds of soap bubbles. Circling the great monoliths, they grew and grew and gaily floated towards George's targets. Those that weren't popped, successfully encased the dark wizards in a good variant of the Bubble Charm. The periphery of Stonehenge had become quite hard to breach by any Death Eater wanting to get inside.

            Hermione and Ron were fighting back to back in a rather less humourous way than the Weasley Twins, yet equally effective. They had sustained minor damage and had managed to prevent from their side any Death Eater trying to get towards the most important duelling couple: Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort.

            Neville Longbottom felt for the first time in his life that he was doing justice to his father's name. On the other side of the inner circle of Stonehenge, he too protected the privacy of the Boy-Who-Lived and his adversary. As a matter of fact, the skittish tendency that had been so well cultivated all these years in the Potions classroom served him now to avoid and defend enough to be a countable adversary to any Death Eater that advanced. It had really started to become embarrassing for the dark wizards; it was a handful of 15 year olds that was putting them to shame. Some had started to wander if Dumbledore had fed them something special.

            It was just when the dark robes running around had started to become less plentiful, just when Neville had gotten a taste of what cockiness traditionally came with Gryffindor traits, that something he did not expect happened: pale thick coils snaked around him, first around his legs, tripping him, then around his body gradually yet swiftly, ensnaring him. Neville gasped in fear and surprise. Nagini, Voldemort's own familiar, had attacked, taking part in the battle. It hissed and spat ominously, the serpentine jaws opening to reveal gleaming fangs. Neville paled, his mind going blank while staring in those hideous, expressionless, sinister eyes. Desperately he tried moving his hand to use his wand- the coils tightened so much he had trouble breathing.

"_Petrificus__ Totalis!" shouted a welcome voice and the snake froze. _

"Ginny!" Neville squeaked in relief. 

Ginny ran up to Neville anxiously, then put the tip of her wand on the head of the motionless snake that still kept Neville captive by its rigidity. Her eyes flashed angrily as she spat the next curse:

"_Tetum__ Dissolva!"_

In a flamboyant explosion of frozen particles, Nagini's head erupted, killing her instantly. The thick coils relaxed, the petrifying spell breaking with the animal's death, and Neville hurried to be freed of it.

"Thank you so much, Ginny," he breathed, his heart still racing.

"Eh, I had been dreaming to kill a large snake ever since my first year," Ginny said with a grim, wry smile.

***

            Harry advanced towards Voldemort, calmly, in control, his wand held at the ready, his eyes immobile and sightless, yet his awareness armed with a kind of vision that disquieted the Dark Lord- and he hated that.

"Your effortsss are vain, boy," hissed Voldemort, circling around Harry. While Harry's head didn't follow Voldemort's movements, the tip of his wand did. Harry smirked.

"I can see the lie in your voice. You are cornered, Voldemort- there is nowhere else to run."

"The Ministry is mine- by tomorrow the wizarding world will be in ruinssss, assssking for my mercccccy," hissed Voldemort lazily, but found Harry's calm demeanour peculiar.

"The Ministry is free, the Death Eaters you sent there are indicted, and Minister Bagman no longer is under your control," Harry said simply, knowing that throwing this on Voldemort would have rather explosive results. He hoped he was gambling cleverly.

            Indeed, Voldemort's rage skyrocketed, seeing his last ace in the game turned to ashes. Dumbledore had won again, and this time he had placed his pawns so well around him, that he could actually win the game, not just the round. _But all is not lost, yet. Some pawns can be converted. He smiled poisonously at the defiant teenager opposite him, and he pointed his wand at him._

"How clever of Dumbledore… he uses his pawns well. But I know you, Harry Potter, I know you well."

"You know nothing of me," Harry said, frowning slightly, alarmed by the lack of sound coming from his adversary.

"Don't I? _Cerebra Overto!" snarled Voldemort. Harry shouted in the same time, the same curse that he had used in his very first duel with the Dark Lord:_

"_Ento__ Expelliarmus!"_

***

            Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini soared through the skies towards Stonehenge on Buckbeak. Blaise noticed that Draco was shivering, still bleeding in many places and obviously feeling the toll of the fight at the Headquarters more now that adrenaling was receeding. She took her wand out and casted a warming spell. Draco breathed more easily and smiled thinly.

"Thanks, Zabini."

"You're welcome. I was cold too, anyway," Blaise said, holding on tightly to Draco, not only because she didn't want to fall off.

"So, Zabini… figure this is going to be Voldemort's last night on earth?"

"I don't know," Blaise said truthfully. "I hope so."

"What are you going to do afterwards… if well… if there is an afterwards?" Draco asked, then bit his lip. He wasn't certain he wanted to talk about the future. He still had not met his mother and had no idea what her position was in all of this.

"I don't know… I haven't thought much about… about afterwards."

"You're probably right. We still might get killed," Draco said bluntly, and Blaise shrugged.

            There was a pause, with only the sound of Buckbeak's wings beating the air, then Draco swallowed and took the nerve to speak again, as indifferently as he could muster.

"But say, Zabini… if there _is_ an afterwards… you're welcome to come live with me- I have the cash to see us through to the next generation."

"But your father hates you," Blaise reasoned, equally bluntly. Draco laughed mirthlessly.

"That he does, but he didn't have the time to disinherit me- I sent a letter to Gringotts right after Hogwarts Attack. Seems Mr. Malfoy wanted his son to have the key to the Malfoy Vaults."

Blaise's eyebrows shot up.

"You forged your father's signature!?"

Draco almost cackled.

"Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin, they say," he drawled and shrugged, holding on to Buckbeak. Blaise snickered on her own accord.

"Draco Malfoy, you are my personal hero," she said as Buckbeak soared downwards towards Hastings.

***

            As the two curses shot out from the twin wands of Harry and Voldemort, the twin cores of the wands reacted again as they had the first time they were put against each other. The golden cage of energy started to form around the combatants. But this was not like the night Cedric died. This was not a cemetery. This was Stonehenge, where the Dragon could be summoned, where Magic forever flowed; and the reaction that followed stunned the bystanders.

            A pale bluish light coated the monoliths that created the magical ruins, snaking around like silk veils. In spirals they surrounded Harry and Voldemort until they were in a giant forcefield that abruptly lifted them both off the ground and over all of Stonehenge, as if placing them in the top of a cathedral's dome. The sky around them lost the inkiness of the night and became mauve, the purplish clouds surreal and spiralling around them just like the monument's magical energy was. 

            The two spells hit their mutual targets. Voldemort's wand flew from his hand and towards Harry, who caught it. The odd incantation that Voldemort had casted against Harry surrounded his head and was absorbed. Harry screamed in agony, holding his temples. Voldemort ignored the odd happenings around them, choosing to focus against his young opponent. The youngest Potter's mind was open to him, and he had one chance to tempt and lure the Boy-Who-Lived to him.

"You have given everything to Dumbledore, even after he took your parents for you. But yet he hasn't given you the one thing you crave," he spoke soothingly now, seductively like he had once done, before his appearance matched his soul. 

"Stop!" yelled Harry, his voice pained, but was still disoriented.

"You know what it is I speak of," he went on mercilessly. "You admitted it to me once, in your dream. You gave me your consent."

"I never did, I never did!" Harry protested in agony, but his heart skipped in fear. There was truth in Voldemort's words.

"Oh you did. You told me in your dream, once. You would do anything, remember? Anything to have your sight back. That is your contract."

"No!" Harry screamed again. 

"Oh yes, young Harry Potter… it is, and you know it as well as I… and so I will give you your sight back, and your soul will be bonded to _mine," Voldemort cackled and pointed his hand at Harry. _

"Give me back my wand, and your sight is yours, forever."

"No…" Harry said, but he was unsteady. To see again? To be able to experience colours, to look at light, to see the food he tastes not through the eyes of a snake, but with his very own, human vision? 

"Why not? What do you owe Dumbledore? He has used you, left you with muggles that cannot understand your value, he has manipulated you and hidden things from you as he saw fit. There is a spell to restore your sight, Harry Potter. Has he taught you that spell? Did you even know it exists?"

            Voldemort's words struck deep in Harry's soul, right to the cockles of his heart. Voldemort was pushing every hurtful button, he was tearing out everything painful, everything that had made him angry and he had suppressed, and using it against him.

And for once, Harry couldn't defend himself. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and a turmoil of feelings of anger and hate and chagrin filled him. Voldemort smiled and worked the knife in the wound expertly, watching the boy's reactions.

"I thought you didn't. Give me back my wand, Harry, and I will give you back your eyes. You said in your dream that you would do anything, give anything. All I want from you is my wand," he said, his voice a caress to the ears. 

"You are evil," said Harry sadly, but he had lowered his hand from the guarded position, and he stood like he was being beaten and hurt. 

"Is it evil that I want to give you what has been deprived of you? It is only a wand, Harry Potter, for the world of the sighted to open to you again," Voldemort continued the weaving.

            Harry's hand holding Voldemort's wand twitched, and he moved it towards the Dark Wizard. He clenched his fingers around it, reluctant and in the same time eager to relinquish it. It was only just a wand, wasn't it?

_…Not Harry, please…_

_…take Harry and run!..._

_…stand aside, girl…_

_…take my body to my parents, Harry…_

            Voldemort saw the sadness in the unmoving eyes harden into rage- he wanted them to, he was banking on it, and the boy was almost ready to give him his wand back. He reached out, coming closer to Harry, to receive it as the boy tended it to him, when suddenly, Harry pulled his hand back and pointed his own wand against Voldemort's chest. Sobs were hacking his chest and the young man's expression was of twisted pain, of someone shredding his last hope of regaining something dear.

"Back. Back, you vermin," Harry said in a steely voice, his eyes alive with flame and emotion that was even more dramatic with the dialated pupils.

"Harry-" Voldemort tried to coax the Gryffindor.

"I want nothing from you, murderer! I would take nothing from the one that killed my family! Back and do not touch me, _Tom Riddle!_"

            Voldemort's face contorted into a horrible snarl that washed away anything human from his face. Where did the strength stem in this small body, where did the boy find the power to defy him, as he had always done ever since his birth? Voldemort let out a howl of hatred and lunged at Harry, his long, spidery fingers closing around his wand as they fell against the spiralling magical energy that held them in the skies.

"I'll kill you, even as a muggle I will kill you, poisonous brat!" Voldemort hissed in Parseltongue as he rolled this way and that with Harry, one hand trying to control the wand, the other trying to choke the boy. 

***

            Albus Dumbledore walked towards Stonehenge, taking his time. He knew what his task was, whatever the outcome of the battle taking place there. He looked at Fawkes who was flying above him. Soon he would be met with his closest, most trusted Order members, for the chapter of Voldemort in the history of the Wizarding World to end.

            Indeed, Severus Snape, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black apparated nearby and gathered around the headmaster.

"I still think this part of the plan was not necessary," Sirius said anxiously.

"For once I agree with him. Can't we at least go a little faster there?" Severus said irritably.

"You can see the glow even before you actually see the monument," Remus muttered, biting his lip. Albus sighed.

"You have to trust me, even if I did not take your advice on this particular matter. I am not gambling with young Harry's life, nor would I take a risk I wouldn't be fairly certain I would win regarding Tom," he said tiredly, as he looked towards the flickering glow.

"_Fairly certain?_" snarled Snape, Remus and Sirius in unison, for the first time towards Albus Dumbledore himself. 

Before the Headmaster had the time to answer, a great flash of light turned night into day for a second, then everything went dark. Without any more words, all the wizards hurried towards there.

***

            Harry grunted as he struggled with Voldemort. It was amazing how much strength existed in those bony, skinny fingers that tightened around his neck like an icy vice. He felt the wand being pulled roughly from his grip, but he held onto it desperately. _I shouldn't have sat to hear him! I should have cursed him while he spoke! Stupid, stupid, stupid, why don't you ever do what Snape tells you!?_

            It would be over in a second- the wand would be pried from his fingers and Voldemort would kill him from close range. He had to do something, he had to use all his knowledge now, while he still had a thin hope of doing his task. Voldemort was ignoring his other hand that was holding his own wand, because at the moment he was squeezing his throat so much Harry could hardly utter a word, much less a spell. But an image came to Harry's mind, of an aunt bloated like a balloon towards the ceiling of a muggle house in Privet Drive…

            The movement was so quick that Voldemort only saw a blur and heard the telltale sound of wood hitting wood. Then Harry's eyes slipped closed and he stopped struggling, now gripping both wands with both his hands. The long wooden batons started glowing even though the Boy-Who-Lived had said nothing. Voldemort blinked, unsure of what was going on. By the time he felt the alarm and tried to disengage completely from Harry, it was too late.

            The wands' glow grew stronger and stronger until the bluish spiralling magic energy emanated from Stonehenge was diverted from its monotonous flow and soared through the cores of both wands. The wood shone red before the wands fused into one, and Harry opened his eyes. They were still unmoving, still dilated, but the pupils resonated with the magic strength, and Voldemort grew panicky, desperate to get away from a tangle he could not undo.

"Your time is over," Harry said softly, as if talking to a baby.

"No!" screamed Tom Riddle, his crimson eyes wide with terror, but it was too late, the powerful magic that Harry had summoned suddenly erupted between them in a flash of light so strong everything became invisible for a second.

Then, just as suddenly as everything had begun, the flow stopped, and the two bodies that had been suspended up in the sky fell freely downwards. Those of the Study Group that were not still blinded by the light were too stunned to do anything as Harry fell limply along with Voldemort towards the cold stones of Stonehenge with nobody to save him.

"Catch him!" shrieked Blaise, pointing ahead. Buckbeak gave it his all as Draco leaned outwards just as he did when he desperately wanted to catch the Snitch. In a breathtaking manoeuvre rivalling the Wronsky Feint, Draco and Blaise caught Harry's body just before he bounced off the top boulders of the magical monument.

Everyone cheered from below as the hippogriff made a landing ark. Nobody paid the slightest attention at the dull thud of the Dark Lord's broken body, heard ominously as the cheering died down. For the young Gryffindor the Draco gently laid out on the ground amongst his friends, was waxy and immobile, his emerald green eyes glassy and open, dead.

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One more chapter to go! This story will have 20 chapters after all. *looks above, then at the shocked faces of everyone around her* um… hey, I killed Voldie! *eerie silence, turns to Snape, GLARE from Snape* ehh…. don't kill me yet, I have one more chapter to write! *bolts*

In any case, I am way too tired to answer reviews now, but just because many mentioned it: the red curse that hit Draco was NOT Avada Kedavra. Rather it was the one that hit Sirius in OoP… which is why, if  you notice, it is Remus that taught Draco the countercurse, not Sirius… everything settled now?

Oh, and PS: TRUST DUMBLEDORE, DAMMIT! *chuckles*


	20. 20

*enters with Snape in dress robes, makes an appropriate atmosphere, sits in armchair just as hautily as the potions master* 

Greetings and salutations to everyone. I see you are all gathered around for the final chapter of this remarkable story. Good, good. *very unsettling smile, knowing glances between her and Severus* We hope you will like it.

So, without any more ado, 

Chapter 20 *hit play*

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"No, Harry!" Hermione whispered, bringing her hands to her mouth, eyes wide. Ron's fingers let his wand fall with a clatter. Neville held his breath, Ginny's eyes watered quickly, Fred and George just stared at disbelief. Draco swallowed as he folded his arms, staring at the prone figure of the Study Group's leader, its heart and soul, lying there, dead. Was it to come to this? The Boy- Who-Lived's life for the Dark Lord's? 

"What are you staring at? We should at least close his eyes for him," Blaise said, her voice wavering. She knelt down, as if she was the only one among the Study Group capable of movement, and gently reached towards the wide open, glassy, unmoving eyes of the Gryffindor's finest.

"Do not touch him!" 

The strong voice of the Headmaster tore through the solemn atmosphere, and the students gasped, seeing not only Dumbledore, but Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Severus Snape advance quickly towards them. Sirius ran upon sight of Harry's fallen form and skidded into a kneeling position. With trembling hands, he scooped Harry into his hands, his breath in short, hacking sounds, as he looked into Harry's face. It seemed to him it was all happening again, and he was holding in his hands both his friends of old all wrapped up in one, the way his godson's face was so much like James', and his eyes as green as Lily's. 

He heard Remus' laboured breathing behind him, saw Snape's black robes by the peripheral of his vision- and suddenly he saw the dark coloured duelling robes of the Headmaster. He clenched his teeth and looked up with wet eyes that danced with grief and hatred.

"You did this! It is _your_ fault he's dead!" he growled at Dumbledore that was looking at him holding the only boy he was ever remotely a father figure to. 

"Sirius, please put Harry on the ground."

"I hate you! How could you let this happen, after he believed in you so damn _much! You are no better than Voldemort!" Sirius continued with his tirade, not listening to the Headmaster at all. He felt Remus' hand on his shoulder, but he flinched away, feeling for the first time after escaping Azkaban so completely alone and helpless._

"I understand your grief, Sirius, but please, listen to me- we are wasting time," Dumbledore said gently again. Sirius didn't heed him, rocking back and forth with Harry's body.

"Wasting time, sir?" Ron asked hopefully. Was it perhaps…? Could there still be…? Ron didn't even dare pronounce it. Dumbledore didn't seem to be paying attention to any of the students, but he said in a strong voice:

"Listen to me! Harry is not dead!"

            Snape lifted his eyes and lowered his hand from where it was covering his face, blinking eyes that were far too bright. Remus inhaled sharply with the new hope and Sirius looked up as if he suddenly couldn't understand English. Immediately it seemed to everyone around that the cracking dawn brought more than simple light in the environment: it was nothing sort of elevation.

"Not dead…?" Sirius dared say, still clutching Harry tightly in his hands.

"Not yet, but there is not much time. Put him back on the ground, please, Sirius. Trust me," Dumbledore said again patiently, and got his own wand out. 

"How do you figure?" Snape asked quickly, because in all accounts he failed to see how it was possible for Harry Potter to still be alive when he looked so utterly dead, and was not breathing, without a pulse. Dumbledore sighed worriedly.

"Severus, I thought that you – or Blaise- would notice. The Dark Lord is supposed to be dead."

"Yes, but I don't see-"

"If he's dead, completely, then why is your Dark Mark still there, still visible?"

            Blaise and Snape gasped in unison as they pulled up their sleeves and saw the Mark still there and still as black as ever. Snape knew that the first time the Dark Lord was defeated, it was almost completely faded. Shouldn't it have disappeared now?

"What is going on? And what can we do about it?" Remus asked, catching up quickly. "If his body is not alive, yet the Dark Mark lingers, then it means that _he_ is too, lingering!"

"Quite true, Remus. It seems that Tom casted some sort of spell that linked his awareness to Harry's more securely than it already has been; and therefore that connection must still exist."

"Can you bring him back?" Sirius croaked. Dumbledore looked grim, and it scared everyone that could read that expression.

"You _can bring him back, can't you?" Sirius insisted, his voice begging._

"I can… but there is a great possibility that the one I bring back is Tom, not Harry, if that link exists."

"What!? You got him into this, you get him out of it, _intact!" Sirius demanded._

            Without answering Sirius, Dumbledore turned to Snape.

"Severus, I understand you too share a link with Harry, for those Occlumentic purposes…?"

Snape's eyes widened in recognition of the Headmaster's plan, Sirius immediately complied and put Harry back on the ground and Remus hurried to steer the Study Group to a safe distance away from the three wizards that would attempt to bring Harry Potter back to the world of the living, whole.

***

_He was careening in spirals, accelerating, ever accelerating, the speed making him dizzy, not allowing him to understand where he was and what was happening. And along with him, around him, twirled another, a parasite, nauseating him, making him feel dirty_

**_Let me go!_**__

_You boy, are my vessel to a better, stronger body. _

**_Never!_**__

_You don't have a choice. Can't you feel it? They are pulling us back. You are too weak to assert your will, and I have been a spirit for far longer than you. _

**_We are dead!_**__

_But I not for long._

**_I hate you!_**__

_That's what makes it so delicious, boy…_

_            Harry's soul ached and battled, but the other presence twirled even more tightly around him, not allowing him to escape, not allowing him to die and leave so that his body would never accept an alien soul in it. No; Tom Riddle was keeping him there, captive, to use him as a passport to a body that did not belong to him, and there was nothing Harry could do but ache._

"I am starting. Sirius will cast immediately afterwards. Are you ready, Severus?"

"Do it," Snape said. He had sat down next to Harry, and as Dumbledore pointed his wand to Harry he put one hand over the cold brow with the lightning scar. 

***

            _He felt the pull, so much like a portkey, pulling on his essence forcefully, with no choice. Harry sped towards the direction of the pulling and so pulled Voldemort along with him._

**_Noooo_****_! I won't have you live in my body!_**

_It is inevitable- Dumbledore is such a strong wizard, after all. You are going to tire him out with all that resisting you are trying to do, you know, boy._

**_You won't live again!_**__

**- Potter.**

**_You won't live again!_**

**- Stop that annoying snivelling! Answer me, Potter!**

**_…_**

**_You are not wanted here!_**

**- We don't have all day, Harry.**

**_Professor?_****__**

**_Treacherousssssssssnake_****_! Begone! Go!_**

**- This is an order, Potter. Don't focus on him. Focus on one memory he can't share with you.**

**_How?_******

**- Just do it!**

**_…_**

**_I will kill him before he breaks our connection! You will kill your student, Snape!_**

***

            Hermione sat huddled against Ron, who was holding her close to him, receiving and giving support. Nobody dared look to any other, everyone stared at the three wizards that were struggling to bring Harry Potter back to life. At Harry's head stood Dumbledore, his wand sending a continuous stream of energy to the limp body, and at Harry's feet stood Sirius, completing the flow. The magic was so strong that the pillars of Stonehenge glowed with resonance, aiding the casters, making Harry seem he was encased in a purifying halo. 

            And next to him, a dark shadow in all the light, sat Severus Snape, his eyes open and luminescent, his right hand against Harry's forehead, his left one clenched on his lap. He strained, making one small sound of tiredness in the muted ensemble.

"He won't make it," whispered Neville, his scared undertone sending shivers through everyone.

"Stop being an idiot. He'll make it," Draco snapped, and his grip around Blaise's hand tightened. _Oh, professor, I believe in you. You can do it._

***

**- This is getting tiring fast, Potter.**

**_If I think of my parents, it's when he killed them!_**_ protested Harry's awareness._

_There is no way to avoid me, and the Renaissance spell is almost complete! You have ran out of time! Voldemort's voice resonated in Snape's ears and around Harry's soul._

**- Must I point everything out to you, boy? If that's hard, don't think about them! Think about some other memory!**

**…**

_It is too late!_

_            Indeed, it seemed to be too late, the presences of both the boy and the dark wizard had reached Harry's body, and they were both tying themselves to it, obeying the spell's command._

            Harry's body heaved one deep, agonised breath, and his eyes blinked a couple of times. His friends and Remus were ready to rejoice, but then Harry's natural green turned to a familiar, hated crimson.

"No! Leave Harry-" Ron started to yell but Remus shushed him- to lose concentration now would mean that Voldemort would possess Harry's body forever. There was still hope, if the spell still lasted, and he saw that yet, neither of the three wizards was giving up.

***

            _Harry screamed with agony at the pain sensations he started feeling again, and Voldemort cackled, knowing that they were now starting to enter the body. He would leave the painful transition to the boy, and when the time came for asserting the possession of the body, he would easily take control. Then the body would reject any other presence lingering, and Harry would die when he, Voldemort, would live._

**- Well? I can't do this for you. I can only tell you what to do. Don't pay attention to him, focus on my voice.**

_            Suddenly, in Snape's mind as well as Harry's awareness flashed a scene, of a boy sitting in a chair looking through a snake's eyes at the figure of a man with pale skin and black, greasy hair… and the man was smiling, unaware. _

_            Suddenly, Voldemort felt his grasp on Harry's mind waver. He was no longer holding on to him. He could no longer feel Harry's thoughts, see what he thought, feel what he felt._

_No! You won't do this to me!_

**_I just did. This is my body, and nobody goes in but me, Tom Riddle._**

**- Who told you to talk to him? Focus on the transition! Must I point _everything_ out!?**

_You are not going in there without me! _

**_…_**

_Talk to me! Don't leave me here! _

_Don't leave me here!... I can't die! I am Voldemort, I can't die, don't leave here in the Void!..._

_            Voldemort's soul tried to rush along the trajectory of Harry's soul, but to no avail- the body had been claimed, and there was no room for more than one. Or was there? Voldemort felt again the pull that was reminiscent of a portkey, and he cackled in delight. He was not yet finished! Dumbledore would inadvertedly bring him back to life in his efforts to save Harry!..._

_… but he was not anywhere near Harry Potter now, or __Stonehenge__… or Earth. Where was he and were was he being pulled!? Try as he might, Voldemort's soul could not resist, just as Harry's couldn't resist previously. He couldn't avoid what he now felt approaching without mercy, no begging or threatening or fear would shield him. He didn't even have the time to make one last thought before he was assimilated with every other damned soul that was cursed to never rest and never find peace- he was finally in Hell._

***

            Draco was released from St. Mungo's a day after the events in Stonehenge. Blaise wanted to be there when he came out, but he had instead told her to wait for him in a café not too far away from Mungo's, in muggle London. So he didn't expect anybody to be waiting for him, since all his friends from the Study Group had been to see him yesterday or were still being nursed in other rooms.

And yet there was one. She was as beautiful as ever, her blonde hair like gold around her face, and there was no expression of smelling something foul anymore. 

"Mother," Draco breathed, both happy and scared to see her. He had not dared ask Dumbledore what his mother's position was in all of this, and if she even knew what Draco's latest escapades had been. But she was here now, and she looked happy to see him.

"My baby," she whimpered and run to him, hugging him tightly to herself. Draco shut his eyes and stayed in the hug- it had been so rare to receive, anyway. 

"Aw, mother," Draco said as they still held each other, not knowing what to say or how to ask.

"No… not my baby, not anymore," she said as she broke the hug and held Draco gently by the shoulders. He still had some faint signs of his battle against his father, and there was a paper thin scar diagonally down his left cheekbone that seemed reluctant to go, just like every other on his body that had been caused by that curse that had been intended to kill him. He looked in his mother's eyes, his breath catching at what she would say. But she smiled warmly at him and said with pride he had never heard before coming from her:

"My son… that grew into an adult without my help at all."

***

            Harry had yet not woken up, but everything showed that it was going well, and every nurse that entered the room informed the two wizards sitting there that he would wake today, no doubt about it.

"That's what they said yesterday, too," Sirius muttered, side looking at Snape. He was standing near the window, looking outside, so the ex-convict could only see his back, rigid and straight as ever.

"Would you prefer they sang a different tune, Black?"

"…what if he wakes up, and calls us treacherous snakes?"

"Must I always repeat myself Black? I told you there is no such chance. I was there."

"That's not comforting."

"Black, you are irritating me," Snape's voice became a little more cutting, although the Potions Master didn't move from his position. 

"Not… on my account… are you?" 

            The faint voice coming from Harry's bed made Sirius spring up and rush to the bed and Snape to turn around and reach its other side. Harry had opened his eyes a little, tiny bit- and the deep emerald colour that had made his mother's eyes so special shone through merrily. 

"Very witty of you, Potter," Snape said gruffly, as Sirius let out a whoop of victory and again scooped Harry in his arms and held him close, just to feel him warm and alive, not cold and limp like last time he had done this.

"S…irius…" croaked Harry, taking an odd expression. Sirius tried to read his face, looking into his godson's unmoving eyes.

"What? Just say the word, Harry, what?"

"I think he is about to hurl on you, Black," Snape said, not without some eagerness for the prospect in his voice. Expertly, Sirius steered Harry in the proper position and provided him with a basin in one flowing movement. As Harry was showing his appreciation to the bucket, Snape arched an eyebrow in question towards Sirius, who shrugged with a rugged grin.

"I got enough practice from Remus in our school days."

"Lovely imagery," muttered Snape, then took a vial of potion from the bedside table and gently helped Harry take it, unconcerned of the nurse's warning that he was not allowed to do that since he was not part of St. Mungo's staff. Harry instantly relaxed with comfort and sighed. He smiled happily albeit sadly and said softly:

"Well… I am back."

"You don't seem too happy about it," Snape said bluntly, taking it a little personally.

"I am happy, professor…" Harry hurried to say, but Sirius saw it to. He passed his hand through Harry's birdnest hair as he settled the Gryffindor in a sitting position in the bed.

"What is troubling you Harry? Voldemort is gone- for good this time, and you did it. You are the hero of the Wizarding World!"

"Yes," Harry said dismissively, as if that was unimportant. He swallowed, making a pause fall in the room as neither of the adult wizards spoke. Harry asked abruptly:

"Was everything that Voldemort said a lie?"

"Do you have something particular in mind?" Snape asked, knowing the answer. Indeed, Harry nodded and said in a low whisper:

"He told me… told me there is a spell… to restore my vision… that he knew. Sirius… you taught us there is no Dark Magic, only dark users… so …is there one? And …could we use it?"

            Snape and Sirius looked between themselves, only now fathoming the sheer strength of will that was demanded to defeat Voldemort instead of joining him. Snape's esteem of Harry went up- he was certain that in his place, he would have given in. Sirius' breath became more laboured, but his voice was even.

"Harry…" he started cautiously, and Harry read the tone.

"Oh… well… no big deal," he tried to make his voice unconcerned, when he truly wanted to cry. Why had Voldemort to lie about that?

"I am tired of you trying to seem like everything glanced off of you, because it doesn't! Admit it that it hurts and you hate it, already!" Snape demanded out of his very own exasperation. Usually, when Snape played that card, Harry exploded on his own turn. This time, he only hid his face in his hands and let himself cry in front of the two men he held as prototypes.

"You will make me hate you all over again," Sirius growled, hugging Harry's back.

"The loss will be heart shattering I'm sure," Snape retorted and then turned to Harry. "Potter… listen to me, Potter."

Harry turned his face slightly towards him, to indicate that he was listening. Snape sighed and continued.

"Harry… in all accounts, there is no such spell that would not keep you under someone's complete mind control. Voldemort would restore your sight because he would possess your mind, and so you would see through his eyes. Do you understand what that bargain would mean?" 

Harry nodded, but seemed despaired, like he had once upon a time when first Snape had been told to help him. Snape put a hesitant hand on Harry's shoulder, as the teen was huddled against Sirius and said in a voice that was promising:

"So, as I said, there is no spell or potion that would heal your lack of sight around _right now… but there is no reason why there shouldn't be one in the future."_

            Harry's face lit with that covert promise, and he straightened up, breathing quickly.

"Do you mean it?"

"Of course he means it- he has no mind for humour, that man," Sirius said with relief, determined to do all the studying he had not done in school in order to find a charm, a spell, something that would give his godson his sight back. Harry grinned and hugged Sirius, and tried to do the same to Snape- although the Potions Master deftly avoided that. He was content in the effect that he still had over the Boy-Who-Lived:

He could still drop him the lifeline to continue living.

_~~Finis~~_

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YAAAAAY! I am done! I'm finished! This is one happy sequel all done with! I am so happy! *confetti, all the cast start dancing the Macarena*

I am grateful to each and every one of you that saw this through to the end. You gave me so much encouragement for my writing that I will forever be in your debt. *Albus charms everyone's goblets to renew drink of their choice* Snape also thanks you, but you will only catch him thinking that. *chuckles, Snape looking hautily content*

Anyway, this is where I take my leave of the HP cast, and put them back on JK's shelf. I am going to continue with my very own set of toys- and hopefully I will at some point get my own shelf soon. It has been fun! 

As for my reviewers:

sweetyspy05: awww. Dumbledore is always acting with good intentions. he's only human, after all. I hope the finale was to your satisfaction.

SaukaraSnape: Snape appreciates your concern. *L*

LoveChilde: Of course right! 

Thranx: You know threats don't work well when you got Snape to back you up. *chuckles* but here you go. The end. 

Chantelli: I'm sorry… but think of all the good times we had! *chuckles* And there, see? Harry is alive!

texasjeanette: Snape was a bit… irritated… and I had to chase him around to convince him to sit down for the ending… but here you go. All your questions answered. I hope the ending was Happy enough?

water drifter: *reverts the puddle into a person* here you go, update!

PhoenixPadfoot89: Your feelings serve you well… heh.

Jarvey: I'm really sorry I didn't make you the gift but I am a working woman… and work doesn't understand readers are aching to see what happened. But here it is now!

mickeymoose: I didn't! I never could after all. *L*

tia: he lives! *stamps decision* I am not going to make another sequel, well I at least I don't THINK I will. I have my own book to write and deadlines to meet about writing it.

Marauder3Moony: well, for one, the wizarding world would be free of its menace… and well… *points* look, Harry lived!

Aku Maru: Aw, Dumbledore feels so guilty now… And I don't belong to Gryffindor. Or Slytherin. I am a Gryfferin. I got the deadly combo of both houses *wink*

WolfMoon: I was very tempted to kill Harry, but I think it would be far too hard to Sirius mostly. It wouldn't do to have him survive only to bury Harry. So Harry lived.

Sword Wielder- Firebreath: …yes? What would happen to me that Snape wouldn't save me of? *L* of course, perhaps Snape wouldn't have left anything for you to slice and dice… hm.

Skysong1: yup, it was another killing curse.

Kemenran: your wish is my command. *bows*

kateri 1: thanks!

Lady Lightning: Waiting is over! *g* Are you happy?

As an end note: if you REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY would like to, I could write an epilogue. But, for me to do this, I shall need your help: Please answer me this:

Would you like Harry to be ….?

a. a batchelor for ever

b. paired with Ginny

c. paired with Luna

d. paired with someone else (please indicate who)         


	21. Epilogue and Author's note 2007

apparates with all the cast that ever played in her two stories Yes, we have come for the grand epilogue! Snape and Remus flank her, Dumbledore makes sure the decorations are all up and perfect, Harry fidgets bashfully

Actually you have my mother to thank for this, because she asked me to do a certain courtesy to Harry, and I need a break after the first 100 pages of my original story (things are getting really hairy in _that_ one! hehe).

WARNING: This takes place quite a few years after the end of GWTT2, so expect _everyone_ to be OOC. People evolve, and these are Voldy-less times. Enter at your own risk. You have been warned.

So, without any more ado: drumroll EPILOGUE! hit play

It was Spring. Everything smelled beautifully, the songs of birds chirping and relishing in the great rejuvenation of Nature elevating even the most burdened souls. It was also a day for an outing to Hogsmeade for the student body of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Although the students went, although they raided every candy shop and gift shop, they did not linger in the pubs or tea parlours nor did they waste any time returning back to Hogwarts. An odd tension, an apprehension wafted in the air, from the youngest first-year to the oldest seventh year. They were not the only ones, either. The professors were, too, anxious. They hadn't been this edgy and fidgety in all the swift years that had passed since Voldemort's demise.

Everything showed that this week was going to be terribly important, and everyone failed completely to pretend that it was just a week like every other. It was Wednesday morning when Severus Snape walked in the Potions classroom with his cloak billowing around him as usual and his cutting remark of 'any incessant noise will deplete the point reservoir of your house'. It was 2nd years Gryffindors and Slytherins (tradition was something very hard to shed, after all), and they were all ready in getting out their ingredients.

Snape watched the class, his frustration mounting. They were obviously not the least beat focused on what they were doing- even his best ones in this class were making a hack job of their roots. When halfway into the period he had to charm away 4 melting cauldrons and contain an explosion, he growled at the class.

"Much as I would love to chalk up the death of your intellect to spring, I can't bring myself to blame nature for your incompetence. What in Merlin's name is going on with you today?" his voice hissed across, admonishing the students who rigidly put down whatever they were holding and stared at him like little blinking owls. One student dared raise her hand. Of course it would be the youngest Weasley to come to Hogwarts- Emma Weasley, daughter of Ron and Hermione, and a nightmarish combination of her parents.

"Yes, Miss Weasley?" Snape asked, folding his arms on his chest to complete the towering effect. Much as his terrifying act had significantly diminished over the decade, he still found that a little discipline never hurt. The red-haired girl asked with the boldness of her mother:

"Professor Snape, today is the day Professor Potter stops teaching DADA, isn't it? My little brother said that Professor Lupin taught class this morning instead of him."

"It is very reassuring to see that gossiping never fails to blossom in your brother, Miss Weasley. No, Professor Potter won't stop teaching. He is not even leaving the castle," Snape said, and squinted his eyes over the students.

"Why would Professor Potter's whereabouts be such a distracting agent for you?"

"Will he finally be able to see again?" piped up another student.

"That is the whole point of what we are doing, isn't it?" Snape asked sardonically. A pause fell over the classroom, and Snape sighed. He too didn't feel up to a lesson, and since it had failed to provide the slight refuge before he had to go and make Harry swallow yet another odd concoction and watch him be hopeful, then disappointed at the outcome, he saw no point in continuing it today.

"I think it is best for humanity in general that we postpone the practical part of this lesson for later. I expect 6 feet of parchment on the uses of the potion you so dreadfully ruined as well as a detailed description of the _proper_ way to brew it by Monday. Class dismissed."

The students rushed out happily, and Snape wondered whether their concern for Harry Potter, the resident Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor for the last six to seven years or so, was just a perfect way to manipulate him into letting them skip class. Children had become far more Slytherin in their ways of thinking lately, and Snape had grown tired of being stern and utterly feared 24-7. Indeed in the years that had passed, and in his interaction with Harry and his friends regularly, he had learned to relax a little bit, to allow himself to show that he was capable of being human.

He had even allowed himself to laugh in public lately.

Walking up towards the infirmary, his heart picked up in beats. It had been a very long, very tedious journey of discovery to Potter's regaining of his sight. Up to then everything had failed. Many a time he had entered into terrible rows with Black over whose fault it was for the failure, with Hermione rushing in to separate them. That girl- a woman, not a girl anymore- had been with them the whole time, helping or, in most occasions, running everyone up the walls with her questioning and brainstorming. Harry had actually casted _Silencio_ once at her, just to regain some peace of mind.

Sirius Black, with hair not-so-black anymore, was waiting for him in the entrance of the infirmary.

"This had better work this time, Snape," he said cuttingly.

"One thousand two hundred and three," Snape said with ironic humour as he swept past the animagus. Sirius frowned.

"What the hell do you mean by that?"

"Nothing, Black- I am only keeping up the tally of the threats you make before every trial. They have lost in their creativity quite a bit, I have to add; what happened to 'make this work or face your gruesome death'?" Snape said sarcastically, making Sirius fume. He grabbed Snape's arm, forcing the Potions Master to stop and look at him.

"I mean it, Severus. He has started to get tired. I… I am afraid that if this trial doesn't work, he will lose all hope of regaining his sight, and will not want to hear of any further experimentation. It was very hard to convince him to do this one," he whispered anxiously. Snape frowned, then hissed back:

"Merlin knows I have been trying my best here! If you think it is my pleasure to watch him go through every concoction known to man without so much as a flicker of light returning to him, then you should get out of my sight right now!"

Sirius swallowed and ran his hand through his hair. He breathed shakily and was about to answer, but a calm, velvety voice of gentle tones that always lightened the heart cut the two men off:

"Hey now- no speaking about me in the corridors. You are tempting me to come over there and eavesdrop. And you know my eavesdropping is an art!"

Snape thanked Providence for Potter's almost jovial comment and he entered the infirmary brusquely. It was not the infirmary of Harry's school days. Under Dumbledore's initiative, Hogwarts School had expanded, offering various Apprenticeships in Magical Medicine, Arithmancy, Dark Arts and Potions to name a few. Therefore the infirmary had expanded to a whole floor and looked like a miniature version of St. Mungo's. Dumbledore had resigned, to enjoy his 'final years' as he had put it with his family, and Minerva McGonagall was the Headmistress now. Still, he visited often and always in times where support was dearly needed by everyone.

"Far be it from us to forget the mischief that runs in your blood, Potter. Not even your job has quenched that," he drawled for the young man's benefit.

In the years that had gone through Harry Potter had become one of the most popular and loved bachelors in the wizarding world. The fact that he was blind yet leading an enormously active life had helped as an example to other individuals that had some impairment. In his early thirties, Harry Potter was a lean, exercised adult with raven hair that would never, ever be tamed and a pair of stunning green eyes that mesmerised regardless their immobility because of the rare mix of optimism and sadness that characterised them. Indeed Harry was eager to laugh and have a good time although one could feel the constant struggle with his very own demons, that Sirius in vain tried to guess and Snape never presumed to press him to reveal.

Harry had found solace in the class- he would forever be indebted to Dumbledore and Remus for virtually forcing him to take the job, pretending that Remus would be overwhelmed with the new Apprenticeship courses. He had felt extreme satisfaction to hear the students learn from him, to look up to him for guidance and reassurance and to consider him important in their lives. He gave his knowledge and support lavishly, and conveniently claimed work and other activities taking up the time for any relationship- he had not had even one and he had never felt the need, except for one brief pang of longing when Ron and Hermione got married some 13 years ago.

But that changed when _she_ had arrived in his life, and she had forced him to pay attention to her.

She was more than a mere object of affection. She was someone that supported him, kept him from falling in the pit of depression- a task that Snape couldn't always do effectively. At first he had thought her to be a friend; like Hermione at best. Then, he considered her his very best friend. Then, a little while ago, he had admitted that she had become his soulmate, knowing everything there was to know about him- even the real story on how he got blinded. For Harry to confess that to her, was the highest declaration of love and trust, for he had thrown with that narration his very last defence between them. She had proven that he was not wrong to do so, and she had discussed with him until Harry felt strong enough to venture out to Surrey- a place he had not set foot at in more than a decade.

He found that Vernon had passed away, and Petunia sounded tired and shrill and aged to him. He had not touched her face though- he felt too disgusted for that. She was still afraid of him, even more so now that he was an adult and she was weak and aged. Dudley had left their home long ago to go to America, and Harry just didn't want to know what it was he would be doing there. Still, with her by his side he felt strong, superior, confident enough to forever disperse the nightmares from the summer he had turned 15. They had become a couple that day and it was because of her that Harry was now sitting on the infirmary bed, willing to try the latest attempt by his godfather and friend to restore what had been stolen from him all those years ago.

"Potter, I asked you a question. Kindly grace me with an answer," Snape's voice brought Harry out of his reverie.

"I'm sorry, Severus; I didn't hear it."

"What a surprise," scoffed Snape. Sirius chuckled.

"Don't worry, buddy; she'll be here."

"I asked her not to. At least… at least for now," Harry said quietly.

The awkward pause where so many things were implied about Harry's extreme agitation about what was most possibly going to be yet another failure was cut off quickly as Snape asked matter-of-factly:

"You have skipped breakfast as we'd agreed, correct?"

"Correct. I'm all starved and ready to be your lab rat," Harry said with a small rueful smile.

"Courage, Potter; at least you haven't been poisoned… too often," drawled Snape in his own sordid way of making a joke.

"Okay, Harry, Poppy's coming with the stuff. Make yourself comfortable."

"I am _not_ stripping in front of you," said Harry incredulously.

"What a pity; but I believe that all your godfather is asking is that you get yourself on that bed. The potion will make you lose consciousness, luckily for you, which we will use to cast the charms required."

"I have a feeling this is going to work, Harry!" said Poppy as she came up to the group.

"Let's hope you are right, Poppy," Harry said shakily as he sat up in bed over the covers.

"Trust a woman's hunch is my motto," said Sirius as Poppy handed Harry the complex potion that had taken about three months to brew and more than 18 months to conceive. Snape wished that his energy and work would finally pay off.

The potion was clear and odourless, but as soon as Harry drunk it he felt as if his head was on fire. He grunted, clutching at his temples and felt hands easing him back on the bed before he completely blacked out.

"He is definitely resuming consciousness. Douse the lights, Sirius," he heard Snape whisper.

"_Nox_," Sirius' voice promptly said. There was a pause, and he felt his heart skipping beats. He didn't want to wake up, he didn't want to have to test if this had worked or if he would still be confined in darkness that only Sasha could for a little while disperse. Suddenly the whole escapade sounded ridiculous to him. Why should he race to get his sight back? Hadn't he managed beautifully without it? There was nothing he lacked, really; why put himself through all this trouble and turmoil? So he had forgotten what colours were like, reminded only when Sasha's eyes worked for him. So he had never seen a sun rise or a sunset ever since he was a boy. So what?

"I know you are awake, Harry. Might as well drop the act," came Snape's voice, reminding him of the other instance that this quote had been uttered, with considerably less warmth there, of course. He heart skipped beats. Perhaps, just like then, these words marked a transition from one condition to the other?

"Open your eyes, Harry," begged Sirius' voice, yet still Harry swallowed and refused to move, oddly anxious and agitated as if he had reverted to his 15 year old self.

"I… I mean… are you sure? Perhaps we won't have to do this, you know…" he said lamely, feeling his body tremble slightly. Demeaning though it sounded, Harry felt he was more scared of the moment when he did open his eyes than he had been when facing Voldemort in Stonehenge.

But then, a gentle hand slipped in his, rubbing gently in the way only _she_ knew how, making him relax almost by reflex.

"You came…! Even though…?" Harry continued uttering unfinished sentences. Her warm chuckle was music to his ears.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. Watching the Great Harry Potter squirm like in old times," she said playfully in his ear.

"It is just… just that I don't know… what will happen if I open them."

"What could happen that would be so terrible?" she asked, stroking his hair. Harry sighed, his eyes watering but still he refused to open them.

"I…"

"You have nothing to lose, Harry. It is all going to be as they should be. I'll still be here… Sirius will be here…"

"For crying out loud, Potter you are a grown man! Everyone already loves you," snapped Snape with a sneer. Harry shivered, but managed a slight grin.

"Does that include you, Severus?"

"You're the love of his life, Harry, and he is fidgeting more than you are, so do the man a favour before he gets an aneurism," Sirius joked shakily, making Snape fix him with one of the deadliest glares of his Death Eater days.

"We are all here, Harry. If it wasn't the full moon today, Remus would be here too in person, but he is here in thought," Poppy added.

Suddenly Harry felt silly and in the same time enormously flattered and happy to have all these people around him, caring for him. _I had said it well when I ended my first year in Hogwarts- here is my home… and here is my family, too._

He opened his eyes a crack, and doing that almost took his breath away- the blinding, blurring shapes shrouded in light was for the first time in nearly twenty years, perceived with his very own eyes.

"Well?" asked everyone in tandem, in various levels of hushed inquiry. Harry let out a sob, and tightened his grip of her hands. She tightened hers, too.

"Harry?"

"I…" he said, and his voice broke. His eyes hurt and watered.

"It's okay, Harry," said Sirius soothingly, with a sinking feeling. Harry laughed and cried in the same time, blinking the tears away. He had been afraid that his mind would have by now forgotten how to see, but Snape had been correct when he said that because of Sasha, there was no way to have forgotten it.

"No, no," Harry said, still hanging on to her as if she was his safety jacket in an overwhelming sea of joy. "I… only need my glasses," he said and burst laughing, and with him everyone that was in the infirmary.

"We'll get you new ones first thing tomorrow!" said Sirius between whoops of joy and triumph, while hugging his godson and relishing in his eyes that were jerking here and there as Harry squinted myopically.

"Here, these will do until tomorrow," came the cool voice of the Potions Master, still masterfully devoid of any dramatic feeling, and what he tended to Harry made everyone hush in surprise and awe:

Severus Snape was holding Harry's old, black rimmed round glasses; the very ones that he had pocketed the midsummer day he was sent to get the Boy-Who-Lived.

"I still believe they don't become you," he said to break the silence. Harry smiled softly and took them gingerly from the Potions Master, his hand trembling only just a little.

"You kept them all these years?" he whispered, his eyes watering again.

"I knew there would come the day you would need them back. Merlin help us if you keep them though- they make you look like a bloody owl," Snape said and sneered, and Harry laughed, feeling fulfilled and complete for the first time in his life. He hugged her to him and she snuggled up against him like a happy cat. He sighed deeply, surrounded by everyone that he felt he could call his own blood.

Now he would finally start living.

There! My mom said that Harry went through so many things that he deserved to get his sight back, so I obliged her. Thank her, worship her for this epilogue!

As for Harry's pairing, you see I tried to please you all. He _is_ a bachelor, but now he will be paired. Who is the mysterious lady? That is up to you to decide.

the whole cast and the author bow I hope that you are now satisfied as I have fulfilled all my promises to you (even the ones I didn't actually promise). Wish me luck! I am half-way through my book, and beta readers I have tell me it is quite good! Wish me the energy I need to finish it in time, hehe. disapparates with everyone else

**2007 update**

Hey everyone!

This is Tantz (Tantz Aerine) speaking. I am posting this here as an Author's note because I do believe it has more chances of being read than posting it only on my profile.

First things first:

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!**

**I hope you get all you ever wish for this year, and the one after that, and the next one… and so on and so forth.**

There is a statement, in the profile and the Go With The Tide II fanfiction, about my decisions regarding writing (or rather, not writing any more fanfiction, remember?). Here's me sharing my news with you then, regarding that!

I have finally (officially) published my very own fantasy book!

It is called **_The Art of Veiling: Awareness_** and is the first book out of three (which are already written and under publication).

It is my pride and joy, the work of more than 5 years in which I have really done my very best with characters who still hold me captive (much, _much_ more than Snape did… you will find that most of my characters are far more demanding than he ever was!). I believe that they will be just as fascinating to you as they were to the editor and are now to the people who are reading it as we speak!!

I would really, _really_ appreciate it if you would give it a chance. If you liked my style, if you enjoyed all these interactions I wrote between Snape and Harry, I am just _trembling_ with excitement and anticipation of how much you'll enjoy my style when I go all out and use full power in my own universe. shivers Heh heh.

Plus, I bet you'll be surprised when it comes to Elves, Dragons and Humans in my world: they have never been described and developed in the way they have been in my book before! ( ---- this is another person's quote, not mine)

I know this is a plug, but I am also so incredibly thrilled to share I can't wait or be demure or something- I need to talk about this!!!

I know some of you wonderful reviewers have already tried it out and your comments have made me confident enough to post this here and _be_ shameless in speaking about it!

(**Thank you for reading it those who got it! I am glad you are enjoying it!**)

Those of you who haven't, I am hoping you will! It will help me go on writing, and it will give me a chance to renew this wonderful relationship I have enjoyed through writing fanfiction with you which I am missing so direly.

The url to the site where you can see the book cover (it BLINKS! Woo hoo!), read the blurb and, if you want, order it is:

www . mindpower . gr / ennews . php (just minus the spaces)

If you can't see it, the link is also up in my profile.

I can't wait to hear from you! I will have more news about my stories soon!

Talk to you soon!

Tantz Aerine


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